Council ‘Snuck In After Dark’ To Remove Trees

Did you hear about how Doncaster Council ‘Snuck In After Dark’ To Remove Trees? These were located next to the pavement on either side of the street. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, the trees provided the residents with privacy from their neighbours and shade for their front gardens. The trees were removed ahead of pavement repairs as the trees’ roots had apparently affected the structural stability of the walkways.

There was strong local opposition as the council had failed to publish their findings and, in the residents’ eyes, the pavements were not consistently damaged enough to warrant the removal of all the trees.

The council have said they have only removed the trees to ensure the highway could be maintained in the safe condition.

How Can I Stop This Happening To Me?

While the above is an extreme case, there are many things you can do to ensure that the greenery on your street is retained:

If you suspect that roots may be causing damage to any of your own property, but you want to retain your greenery, we recommend getting a tree survey. The tree survey will outline estimated root growth areas – this will mean you can remove the tree or trees that you suspect are causing the damage and not feel the need to remove all the trees in your garden.

You may wish to apply to the council to gain a tree protection order on a tree. Each council’s process is slightly different, but you must be able to prove that your tree is an exemplar specimen and adds ecological value to the area. A tree survey may be able to help with this.

If you suspect that unwanted tree work could be planned for the greenery surrounding your property, we recommend checking your local council’s planning website. This should contain all planning applications that have been made to the council and their status. If you wish to raise an objection to any tree work, you can do so formally through this website and you can encourage others to do the same.

We are able to complete tree surveys and applications for tree protections orders, so if you want to ensure this doesn’t happen to you, call us on 01782 479 479.