Next B B Project

Nigel, have you built an extension on the side and back of your house.
Only I get the impression the house has moved in on the trees.

 

Well spotted Pete. The house was a 1984 build and I had the extension put on in 2009.
The extension comes straight out of the house and went over a shady patio.
Interestingly neither myself, the architect nor the planning department mentioned the trees. Having said that even without the extension the trees would would have been pretty likely to hit the house and I would still be looking to have the 5 tallest removed.
I estimate that the tallest one is about 80ft tall and depending on where it fell my house, a couple of neighbours bungalows or the Rhino greenhouse could be damaged.

 

I don't think I would like the trees there, mainly because of the amount of shade they must cast.
But I'm sure the argument against cutting them down would be they were there when the house was built and can only be removed if they become considered dangerous.

Being conifers they can't presumably be topped, so I guess the dangerous element is probably the best route to try with the council.

 

@pete The shade doesn't bother me too much, it's a dry shade due to the elevation of the ground also as the lower branches have gone fairly airy.
The bungalows that run along that side of the plot are on a shelf about 6ft above the base of the trees and all have high fences.
First tree surgeon comes for a look tomorrow, next week another couple and I have yet to hear from a couple of others.

 

I wonder if a solicitor as well as a tree surgeon might be worth having, @NigelJ - they might be able to phrase the request regarding the danger to your house, the local sewerage, physical danger from falling branches etc. After all, local solicitors come up against the council all the time in planning meetings etc, and maybe can help with the approach to take.

 

@CarolineL Thank you for the solicitor suggestion and it may come to that, but I'll see what the tree surgeons say first. Then if necessary try and find a solicitor.

 

Had two site visits, one quote so far, less than expected to remove 5 trees and grind out stumps.
Both said the council might be the big problem.

 

Local Planning Authorities normally either employ in house arboriculturalists or use external consultants to advise them on applications for tree works.

Nigel may have missed the opportunity to get whatever he wanted done without any hassle, as because of Covid, LPAs have been letting all sorts of stuff go through without any proper scrutiny.

Don't know if they're back in the office and actually doing anything yet to protect trees.

 

Had a third visit yesterday, still waiting on numbers. Interestingly he said they would use a narrow tracked (go through many garden gates) cherry picker to take the trees down and it would take about a day to remove the trees and a further visit for stump grinding, they would also use a tracked chipper to blow the chippings on to a rough bank along one edge of the garden. If he'd offered me a ride in the cherry picker he'd have got the job there and then.
Apparently cherry pickers are now the recommended way of accessing trees, rather than rope access.
The council may want an arboricultural report on the trees, if this recommends removal of the trees and the council then refuse permission they may be liable for any damage caused by the trees.

 

And with that in mind Nigel, the council will probably already be aware of it. They may decide removing the trees now would be less expensive than repairs to your home at a later point.

 

Now have all the quotes, not a lot of difference in price. Currently thinking it over, but have to decide soon.

 

Having decided a couple of weeks ago the contractors have now applied for planning permission; so fingers crossed.

 

Heard from the council just before Christmas. A flat refusal.
Since then had a visit from an arboricultural consultant who is in the process of writing a report.
Unfortunately he is of the opinion that the trees are healthy and highly unlikely to cause problems. However some of the lower branches could be shortened. So that is the plan now make a fresh application to shorten a number of branches and at the same time to remove any dead wood from within the crowns. These are branches detached from the tree, but lodged up there.
Am I disappointed not particularly: I will have a report saying the trees are safe, a few branches shortened; but I have got used to them over the past 20 odd years and would have missed them.
So what now basically a rethink and then goodbye to more of the grass and hello more beds for plants.