Tree Removal

[TudorCottage]

We have a very large Ash tree in our front garden that has died. It has become very brittle and also has a mains overhead electric wire running through it.

I’ve received a quote to have it removed that I’m happy with and the tree surgeon says permission doesn’t have to be obtained as it doesn’t have a TPO on it and it’s close proximity to a public road and the overhead wire mean it does pose a danger to the general public.

As usual research on the internet divides opinion with some claiming permission must be sought whilst others say it’s dangerous and needs to come down immediately.

I thought I’d ask on here if anybody has direct experience of something similar happening on their property. If I have to contact the authorities I will but I don’t want to delay its removal if it’s unnecessary.

Thanks for any pointers.

 

[Kearn]

Permission - why?

If you’re in a conservation area, then yes.
If it has a TPO, yes.

Otherwise no.

Also possible worth speaking with the electricity board as their cable runs through it. They have their own team of tree surgeons. Might just save you some money…

 

[TudorCottage]

I’ve been down the electricity board route. They weren’t interested and claimed the wire would hold the tree up if it did start to fall down

All it did was hold up the Thatcher for a couple of days as they wanted to fix some extra protection to the wire that comes into our house

 

[Flyfisher]

A householder cannot be expected to be a tree expert so it is reasonable to seek professional advice if they have any concerns, a 'very large Ash tree' that is apparently dead seems like a very reasonable concern. Having received professional advice that the tree poses a danger to the general public and does not require permission to be felled/dismantled, the householder will now be in a difficult situation if the tree did indeed cause damage or injury. On that basis, I would let the tree surgeon take the tree down.

My only caveat would be the tree surgeons. Are they a properly qualified reputable outfit or a couple of chancers with a chainsaw? If the former then I'd go ahead, but only after I'd been given a copy of their public liability insurance certificate. No reputable tree surgeon would be offended by such a request.

As for the conservation/TPO thing, I used to live in a wooded area that was entirely covered by a blanket TPO, but it didn't mean dead trees couldn't be felled. I once approached the local tree protection officer for advice about a dead tree and although he came out to look he just advised that it would be OK to cut it down as long as I replaced it with a suitable sapling. No paperwork, no definition of 'suitable' and no follow-up visit to check what I'd done. But that's not a recommendation as I imagine different councils have different policies!

 

[Cubist]

Get a genuine and fully insured arborealist to bring it down as soon as you can. Dead ash trees can be extremely dangerous as they can, in effect, shatter and collapse unexpectedly during felling. Your tree fellers really need to know what they are doing and great care must be exercised particularly if the fellers need to climb and rope down the timber as its cut. If the power supply cables run between the boughs in a route that may limit or constrain access for the fellers to safely dismember them, or constrain the removal of some limb sections, then the electricity service providers team must be involved.

Did the people who quoted for the work visit and inspect the site?

 

[TudorCottage]

These guys are seasoned professionals. My neighbour has used them numerous times to keep his vast array of trees under control.

 

[Flyfisher]

In that case, I'd let them get on with it and not seek permission from anyone.

(I'd still ask for a copy of their liability insurance though, especially because of the electricity cable)

 

[Cubist]

Coincidentally.... another reason to make sure the fellers need to know what they're doing and have appropriate insurance cover.

Swynnerton thatched roof fire caused by lorry hitting cables

Police say a lorry collided with overhead cables, which fell onto the roof of a thatched cottage.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[TudorCottage]

That’s what you call unlucky!!

I guess why I asked the question is because our front garden is about 150 feet long and this tree sits at the front of it, literally on the border of our garden. The base of the trunk sits against our fence, the other side of the fence being the public pathway. The tree dominates the landscape and as it is going to be felled rather than trimmed nearly everyone in the village will either know it’s being taken down or soon will when the landscape is dramatically changed.

I’m assuming someone in the village is not going to like what’s been done and may contact the authorities and I’m just trying to cover myself.

 

[Robola]

Yes, I had one like that. No TPO on it but I contacted the relevant council department anyway, they just said 'no problem, crack on'. But they made a record of the contact.

As soon as the arborist started cutting it down one of the neighbours rushed out giving us a torrent of abuse, swearing, extremely confrontational. Then made a big show of calling the council to report us, went a bit quiet after the call...

 

[Flyfisher]

I guess why I asked the question is because our front garden is about 150 feet long and this tree sits at the front of it, literally on the border of our garden. The base of the trunk sits against our fence, the other side of the fence being the public pathway. The tree dominates the landscape and as it is going to be felled rather than trimmed nearly everyone in the village will either know it’s being taken down or soon will when the landscape is dramatically changed.

I’m assuming someone in the village is not going to like what’s been done and may contact the authorities and I’m just trying to cover myself.

There's always one. I had a similar problem in reverse when a neighbour kept pestering me to fell a large poplar that was shading his garden. Can't please everyone!

But in this case, a dead tree close to a public thoroughfare deemed dangerous by a professional arborist pretty much means you'd be negligent not to follow their advice to fell it. The same person who might complain about it being removed would probably be the first to complain if a branch fell and injured someone.

 

[LadyArowana]

Was it a victim of ‘ash dieback’ A friend had to have an old one taken down because of it and they needed a cherry picker because the branches had become brittle so they couldn’t rope off to them. I good arbourist will be aware of the risks. More information here https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/ash-dieback

 

[overlander matt]

Good luck with the felling and hopefully the local response is supportive. I have found there is often irrational sensitivity when it comes to felling any trees. It sounds like you have taken the right steps and as long as the council have no objection then crack on!

Our council has been very helpful but we do live in a conservation area. We took down a very large weeping ash that had become rotten. I thought it might be controversial but the council's tree guy was very helpful and supportive. He said most of the controversues normally involved larger developers...

 

[TudorCottage]

Yes, Ash dieback I’m afraid.

Thanks for the link and the map that shows the cases of Ash dieback shows just how widespread the disease is