Campaigners in Clavering are fighting to protect an historic oak tree which they fear will be damaged by development.
The tree has marked the parish boundary between Clavering and Arkesden for around half a millennium.
Developers Pelham Structures previously planned to chop down the tree to make the road safer following a school bus crash in September 2023, where the bus's roof was ripped off by the branches.
The application to develop on the site was refused earlier this year, but has now been granted following an appeal.
Under the plans, the tree - known as 'The Clatterbury Oak' - is to be surrounded by five bungalows, with a road built under its drip circle.
An independent report, commissioned by campaign group Keep Clavering Rural, advised the proximity of the development to the tree's roots was "incompatible with the required protection for the tree".
Campaigner and Clavering resident Jilly McNaughton, who set up the petition to save the tree, said: "I fear it will be ‘death by a thousand chops’ for this precious tree.
"Both Natural England and the Forestry Commission recommend a buffer zone at least 15 times larger than the diameter of the tree – in the case of this tree 30 metres.
"But Pelham Structures plans not only to build a road under its spreading branches, but to allow a mere 15 metre buffer before the foundations of houses begin.
"Building the bungalows so close not only threatens the health and life of the tree but will completely ruin its landscape context and amenity value, swamping what is currently a much-admired view of a standalone, ancient oak pollard, unchanged for centuries.
"My heart aches for what we stand to lose here. Goodbye historical context, goodbye cultural value and farewell to the thousands of species that are supported by ancient oak trees."
Pelham Structures maintain that they are aware of the tree's value and have put in place tree protection measures and other initiatives to increase biodiversity.
A spokesman for Pelham Structures said: "The tree’s importance is acknowledged in our Tree Report.
"We don’t want to destroy it; we have considered the advice in forming our layouts and proposed appropriate mitigation.
"As is set out in the Oak Tree report prepared by A R Arbon: 'Pelham Structures have researched and understood all the constraints and designed this scheme to comply with all the forces therein'.
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"The A R Arbon report confirms the proposals will not threaten the health and life of the tree.
"We believe we have designed a sensitive scheme that will allow existing and future residents to continue to appreciate this tree.
"We are a local business; we specialise in providing homes in rural areas that assimilate well with their surroundings."
In addition to the tree protection measures, Pelham Structures are proposing to plant 49 new native species trees, including nine oak trees, which they say will mean a "significant" biodiversity gain.
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