National Trust Kedleston Hall Kedleston Derby Derbyshire DE22 5JH
HC1 on the sketch plan provided is a large mature Horse Chestnut tree approximately 20m in height. It has a significant growth lean towards the car park at Kedleston Hall, overhanging the extended grassed car parking provided in the busier months of the year. On the same side of the tree that is leaning, is a very large heavy limb also adding to the overall weight of the tree in this direction. At the base of the main stem are several fungal fruiting bodies possibly of the species Inonotus dryadeus, although the brackets are in poor condition as of inspection Dec 2024. Work to reduce the length of the branches on the large limb mentioned have previously taken place several years ago, and other limbs from this tree upto 30cm in diameter have naturally failed. Also below this tree in the direction of lean is the historic structure of the Haha stone lined enclosure. I am concerned that this tree due to its large full crown, height, weight, lean and weak timber species type in combination with decay fungi could fail onto the land below most likely in a high wind event as has happened on the estate in similar situations. Pruning the tree to a level that would reduce this risk of failure would cause damage to the tree and reduce its chances of recovery, due to the size and amount of the pruning wounds in relation to the diameter of stem. The tree is so large that to remove the obvious targets of parked cars and people by fencing off the area, would result in a large loss in parking areas in an already stretched car park. It is regrettable, but I feel that the best course of action is to request that permission be granted to fell this tree and replant as close as possible with a suitable standard sized replacement such as Hornbeam, Sweet Chestnut, or Beech. HC2 on the plan is another Horse Chestnut in the carpark area approximately 8m in height and in very poor health. It has been in decline for the past three years with the majority of the canopy dead and dying. It ...