Chopping down a Protected Tree

[Nigel Watts]

Planting a replacement tree within one year is a condition of getting permission to cut down the giant Eucalyptus. I suppose I could think of a bonzai, or could simply ignore the condition.

As for the cracks, they appear to have stabilised again following some significant widening in the early part of last year. This coincides with a major pruning of the tree, but I accept that there may be no causal link.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Surely a little tree or shrub is going to have a far smaller root system?

 

[CHRIS]

Planting a replacement tree within one year is a condition of getting permission to cut down the giant Eucalyptus. I suppose I could think of a bonzai, or could simply ignore the condition.

I can't imagine Islington Borough Council putting a little note in their diary to come around 1 year from now!!!! If they do come around what will they do? not leave until you have done! Just tell them it is on order from a nursery. They will be too busy giving out parking tickets anyway to care about your tree.

I like the idea of a nice Silver Birch they are nice and slim. I just got myself an Olive tree from the Eden project and are going to give that a go outside next year when it gets a bit bigger (would do well in London due to warmer air) - should survive a few frosts as well, but my Bay tree is now 15ft high and I have to trim it right back every few years as it blocks my bedroom window - they are nice looking trees if cut right.

 

[Carol]

Do you have to plant the replacement in exactly the same place? Our recent application to remove ten 'leylanndii' in a CA asked for the same number of trees to be replaced but with no specification as to layout. I have gone for hornbeam for the pleasure of spending years pleaching!

What about a crabapple or similar in a large container on the same spot and something larger away from the house?

 

[Penners]

There's one tree that I would never be without in the garden, and that's an Amelanchier Lamarckii - http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/41.shtml

It gives enormous pleasure in spring with white blossom, summer with mauve berries and autumn with bright red leaves. You can train it as a large shrub or a modest-sized tree, whichever you prefer.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

 

[Nigel Watts]

The tree came down last week, the root has now been ground out and the garden wall is being reinstated this weekend.

My engineer has suggested that I should now wait to see what happens before starting remedial works to the back of the house. If the tree was the cause of the subsidence (I am now 95% sure it was) we should now expect to see some heave as the clay expands again.

Any idea what is a reasonable time to wait? My wife's study is out of action until the works are completed and she is losing patience. When we refurbished the house she opted for a study and I opted for a workshop. We had two rooms in the basement - a tiny dark corridor like space leading to the wine cellar and a garden facing room with a nice bow window and plenty of natural light. I got the corridor.

 

[AMc]

Any idea what is a reasonable time to wait?

If it were me I would want to wait a full year - get all the seasons of rain, cold and heat and see what happens. If you need to work faster than that the I'd go back to your engineer for a professional opinion.

 

[Penners]

If it were me I would want to wait a full year - get all the seasons of rain, cold and heat and see what happens.

I agree. Given that summer is upon us, your clay shouldn't* have too much opportunity to take up whatever water it wants to, so I think AMc is right. You need to see what all the seasons bring.


* note "shouldn't" as opposed to "won't". This is Britain, after all...

 

[Lime]

My engineer has suggested that I should now wait to see what happens before starting remedial works to the back of the house. If the tree was the cause of the subsidence (I am now 95% sure it was) we should now expect to see some heave as the clay expands again.

That is not my take of what the engineer meant.
IMO he suggests waiting to see if subsidence stops or gets worse.
If it is just a question of re-watering the clay then I'd be using a hose pipe.

I have said what I think about the subsidence before.