Tree cut down Upper Maze Hill

[Mymblesdaughter]

I was walking down the road today and saw a tree being cut down the garden of St Peter's Lodge. It's on the corner of Pevensey Road and Upper Maze Hill. Does anyone know if you can just take down a tree without planning permission? People were walking passed and were all making comments about what a shame it was. I've had a look and I can't see any planning application on the council website.

[Anonymous1]

It depends.

If a tree has a TPO (tree preservation order) then it cannot be "just" cut down without justification.

Typical justification would doubtless include disease or danger to the public or property.

Many trees do not have TPOs_ _ __ _ _see this link for more info.


http://www.naturenet.net/trees/tpo.htm

[Richard]

The current public awareness of the need to plant or protect trees has led to a sense of indignation at their removal, or pruning, as well as exploitation and bullying by those who wave spurious edicts (often at their neighbours) "willy nilly".
Most property owners or builders would be well-advised to ask a tree surgeon professional who would consult with the local councils designated officer first to check what are the latest rules and reg's., just to be on the safe side.

Trees can be a real nuisance too !!
neighbours can plant them and then, years later, they can cause all manner of irritating disputes with shade and leaf fall issues because of proximity to boundaries.

[Mymblesdaughter]

I've known a couple of circumstances in the past when people have quickly taken down trees that have been protected, especially over weekends when nothing can be done to stop them.

This tree was on the road side of the property so no problem for neighbours but was very close to the wall so could have been causing problems there.

I think most people are sad to see something that has been growing for many years destroyed especially when it gives many people pleasure. One of the reasons I moved to the area I did was because of the beautiful trees.
There are very few in Cornwall where I moved from, we are very lucky in this part of the world.

[Anonymous1]

[quoted]
Richard wrote:

Trees can be a real nuisance too !!
neighbours can plant them and then, years later, they can cause all manner of irritating disputes with shade and leaf fall issues because of proximity to boundaries.


[/quoted]

Definitely. A tree in the wrong place can be a real pain in the rear. A neighbour has cultivated a Goat Willow in the garden next door, it fills our back garden up with "down" each year, it drips resin and has fouled our telephone lines. Last year he pollarded it to protect the lines but the surgeon neglected to tell him he would have to do it each year. In some cases pollarding will stimulate faster growth because the resulting wands grow faster then the original branches.

I'd gladly see that one come down.

[Mymblesdaughter]

If anyone is interested, the tree was taken down illegally as it's in a conservation area.

[Richard]

it's so easy to make statements without qualification of all the details - it's not very illuminating and makes it hard work for others to find out what all the facts are.

[Mymblesdaughter]

Richard is your comment aimed at my last post? I don't really understand it but if you are saying you want me to give you more details:-

A council enforcement officer and arboricultarist visited the site because of complaints from members of the public, on the day that the tree was cut down. It was discussed with the council legal department and the owner has been asked to replace the tree with a new specimen of some maturity. The owner isn't going to be prosecuted at this time.

[Anonymous1]

Glad to hear that another tree will be planted. Thanks for supplying a happyish ending to the tale.

My son is a tree surgeon and he is very wary of the TPO issues, it can cause professional all sorts of trouble. He doesn't like cutting any tree down needlessly either.

[Richard]

Many acres of natural wildlife, dozens of rare and disappearing birds and mammals and trees/vegetation are lost so that new homes can be built as people have to live somewhere, so the objection to the odd tree being cut down seems small beer.
For all we know it could have had a disease, do we know why it was cut down in the first place?
Although I do think perhaps the tree could have been pruned instead of being lopped.
But also why was the owner only required to plant a new tree? It sets a bad precedent, unless there were reasons unstated, such as danger to the public.