Activists are inviting children to have their say on plans to chop down 80 trees in a town square to make way for a multi-tower development.

Save Our Square E17 has been collecting pictures of Walthamstow Town Square and letters to Waltham Forest Council from youngsters ahead of a public art event next month.

Capital and Regional’s plans for the space include redeveloping The Mall shopping centre to add extra retail space and build four high-rise blocks with up to 500 apartments.

Waltham Forest Council, who approved the controversial plans in December, insist for every tree felled in the square, five will be planted elsewhere in the borough.

So far, more than 100 pictures and letters have been collected, which will be tied to trees on Saturday, September 1, turning the square into a children’s art gallery.

One young girl passionate about saving the trees is Alexis, a pupil at Kelmscott School in Markhouse Road, Walthamstow.

In her letter addressed to the council, she writes: “As part of the plan, the council wants to destroy the landscape, the beautiful mature 80 trees which form this amazing avenue for people to walk down.

“As a consequence, there will not be enough oxygen to balance the pollution that will be made by the diesel generators and construction vehicles during the construction of the four tower blocks.”

In an effort to raise awareness about the trees, most of which are mature limes, the campaign group has created T-shirts depicting the council’s logo for Waltham Forest. They are on sale for £2.

The slogan reads: ‘Don’t kill the trees in Walthamstow Town Square’.

Underneath is a photo of a felled tree with the words, Waltham Forest, with a strikethrough to replace ‘Forest’ with ‘Concrete’.

Earlier this month, aboricultural consultant Russell Miller published a damning report in which he stated it was “hard to imagine” how any redevelopment of the square which includes a “significant tree loss” could benefit the community.

The report read: “Most of the trees designated for removal are healthy, mature, large specimens.

“Given the location and context, and the quality of the trees listed for removal, the proposal is extreme in its approach to tree loss.

“It appears to greatly undervalue and fail to appreciate the importance of large, long-lived mature trees.

“This is at odds with a considerable body of public policy and science that recognises the vital part mature trees, especially large species, play in healthy cities.”

The scheme is expected to bring £200 million of private investment and create 350 permanent retail jobs.