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can you make a protest about an ancient tree being cut down?

(62 Posts)
Grammaretto Wed 16-Apr-25 08:41:47

I have submitted plans to build a house in my garden. The planners have replied with a list of objections.
One is that a tree, which I planted, has now to be protected and cannot be felled.
I live in a conservation area and any tree once it reaches a certain height
and girth is automatically protected.

Jaxjacky Wed 16-Apr-25 08:27:45

According to media reports an arboriculturist had assessed the tree as dangerous and diseased in part. If it had fallen on a person or car we’d be reading different headlines. I do agree about applying for TPO’s on significant trees.

NotSpaghetti Wed 16-Apr-25 08:24:53

Was it there before you moved in Georgesgran?

NotSpaghetti Wed 16-Apr-25 08:23:51

M0nica - why didn't they contact the council tree officer I wonder? It was council land after all.

Georgesgran Wed 16-Apr-25 08:22:52

I wish someone would vandalize the sycamore in my neighbours garden! Four professional tree surgeons spent four hours last Friday, snipping out twigs! We neighbours affected by the huge shadow it casts, can’t see any difference.

Casdon Wed 16-Apr-25 08:22:05

As Wetherspoons would no doubt cut down the tree too in the same circumstances why would anybody do that?

NotSpaghetti Wed 16-Apr-25 08:21:33

I think the answer immediately is for each of us putting an hour into requesting a TPO for the lovely trees in our own area.
I have requested one twice now and both been granted.
One was a plane and one a lime.

The lime was one of a pair of limes. Two stunning huge trees. I came home one weekend after being away and the first was down. 😱
The second had an emergency TPO put on it in case they intended to do the same.

Here's a link to how to do it.

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-trees-and-woods/campaign-with-us/take-action-in-your-community/tree-preservation-orders/#:~:text=If%20you%20want%20to%20place,to%20be%20a%20local%20amenity.

They must usually be seen as an "amenity" from a public place. I said they contributed a lot to the nature of the road, that gave pleasure, attracted birds, made the environment much nicer.
It was easy.

I sent a photo and a location and our tree officer came out to look.

I tried to do a "block" of trees along a road but that didn't work. It had to be tree by tree.

Maybe I'll return to my list and chip away at it.
My daughter has just had her garden horribly "exposed to the world" by the removal of an old sycamore (assumed about 150 years old by size).
She had erroneously thought it had a TPO. It was stunning, but in her neighbour's garden.

People take them down to block pave their front gardens it seems to me.

M0nica Wed 16-Apr-25 08:20:10

Enough is left to be recoverable aand the tree was in danger of shedding branches or falling down and injurying and killing people.

If everyone cared so much why hadn't they ensured that there was a Tree Preservation Order on the tree ?

The tree in Sycamore Gap was a case of pure and simple vandalism, somewhat difference form a company protecting itself form being sued by its ccustomers if they were injured by branches blown off the tree.

Toetoe Wed 16-Apr-25 08:17:35

I don't think those tree surgeons were " experienced qualified tree surgeons " it looks like they might have climbed out of a van, knocked on their door and said "the tree needs trimming Mr / Mrs "

Grammaretto Wed 16-Apr-25 08:13:57

Boycotting Toby Carvery isn't going to bring it back.

Grammaretto Wed 16-Apr-25 08:12:59

I can't understand why the tree surgeons undertook it. They couldn't have been knowledgeable at all.

When back in December I needed a tree surgeon. I had 3 quotes and the one I went with merely pollarded one tree and left the other saying that it was important to prevent flooding or erosion. The trees held up the bank!
One had already fallen and landed on a neighbour's house! My trees were sycamore and nothing like that magnificent oak.

infoman Wed 16-Apr-25 07:57:42

Toby Carvery have been criticised for cutting down an ancient tree near one of their eateries in Enfield. After similar incidents at Sycamore gap and Plymouth,is nothing sacred? Maybe a boycott of Toby Carvery over the coming weeks might them think about what they have done.Time for Wetherspoons to take advantage me thinks.