Plan to cut back tree gets approval

Planners voted to change their proposal to reject moves to reduce the tree – located on a front garden boundary between two homes in Dewsbury Drive, Penn – after listening to an impassioned plea from resident Richard Wood about how much its size impacted on his and a neighbour’s day-to-day lives.

Mr Wood and his neighbour had applied to the council to reduce the height and outward spread of the tree by three-to-four metres, following concerns that it poses a health and safety risk due to debris falling from it.

He told members of the planning committee this week: “First and foremost, we have never asked for the tree to be removed. It has been there for hundreds of years – certainly before the houses were built – and we accept it.

“As far as I’m aware it was last cut back six years ago but this has made no visual difference or change in the mess and debris on our driveways. Our cars regularly get covered and in the autumn the leaf fall is almost unmanageable.

“It is dwarfing both our properties and I know for a fact that its present size is affecting my neighbour’s mental wellbeing. All we are asking for is a reasonable review of how much we can have taken off. We would like three-to-four metres if possible. This would improve our standard of life greatly.”

Councillor Celia Hibbert supported Mr Wood’s plea for the tree to be reduced. She said: “I have visited the site and I believe it is not unreasonable to ask for 3-4 metres to be taken off. We want the gentlemen concerned to fulfil their life expectancy positively as well as the tree.”

Wolverhampton Council’s Tree Officer James Dunn told members that it would be advisable for a tree like this to have its overall canopy reduced by no more than 30 per cent, but that taking 3-4 metres off it would be a reduction of between 50 and 60 per cent.

Councillors voted unanimously to grant the application.