Plymouth City Council leader Richard Bingley intends to resign from his position next week, according to the ruling Conservative group.
He was due to face a vote of no confidence over the felling of 110 trees in the city centre as part of a regeneration project.
The trees were cut down at night after Mr Bingley signed an executive order, but work was stopped when a judge granted an injunction against it continuing.
The council went ahead with the project despite the results of its own consultation showing ‘overwhelming objection’ to the plans.
Mr Bingley has not commented to the media so far.
The authority said last week it would seek to have the injunction lifted, but Ali White, of Save the Trees of Armada Way which applied for the injunction, called on the council to abandon the case.
She said: ‘We are not surprised to hear of Richard Bingley's resignation given the outrage over the decision he made to cut down our trees last week.
‘We hope that in light of this news that the council will see sense and save taxpayers' money by abandoning their attempts to discharge our injunction.’
