The Old Vicarage 3 Leighton Road Wingrave Buckinghamshire HP22 4PA
Fell two Silver Birch Trees ( marked T1 and T2 on the attached sketch plan 1). These trees have blocked existing rainwater soakaway systems which need to be replaced. These trees were planted in the 1970?s or 1980?s in a position that was too close to an existing brick built garage and the neighbouring property, a timber framed barn conversion. Tree T2 is 2.2m from the barn and 3m from the garage. Tree T1 is 4m from the barn. Having reached maturity the trees tower above the roofs, dominate the area, cause excessive shading and overhang the surrounding buildings. In order to alleviate these problems permission was obtained in 2020 to reduce the crown of each tree. This work was completed, but as warned at the time, they have since grown back even larger. The roots of these trees have now entered and completely blocked the pipe work of two soakaway systems. Rainwater is not draining away, the down pipes and gutters are overflowing which is causing damp in the building walls. The pipe work cannot be cleared by jetting or rodding and new soakaways must be excavated. Building regulations state that a soakaway must be positioned at least 5 metres from the foundations of the nearest buildings. New pipe trenches will have to be dug and soakaway crates installed, cutting through many tree roots. A tree surgeon has been consulted who advised that these are shallow rooting trees and cutting through the roots will severely weaken the stability of the trees which is extremely dangerous due to their proximity to existing buildings.Photographs of the trees, their location, the area where pipe trenches will have to be dug and some of the roots are provided in the attached photo sheet 1.Impact on the conservation area is minimised as the trees are in a rear garden screened by buildings. It is not intended to replace the trees as any new planting would be too close to the existing buildings. The are already many large trees in our garden and the surrounding gardens...