96A BREAKSPEARS ROAD, LONDON, SE4 1TS
FRONT: ONE Acer (T1)(ht.9m) FELL. Reason: due to being implicated in structural damage.Informative A: the tree is contributing to structural issues and repeat crown reduction is no longer appropriate management. The house has structural issues to the party wall and front bay and the Acer is implicated from site investigations. Acer is a large canopy species and this multi-stemmed Acer has been previously maintained at ht.9m within the small front garden setting by repeat crown reduction. Although relatively small in stature, the Acer is significant in the street scene being located near a road junction on a bend at the top of a long uphill gradient on Breakspears Road. Site investigations show house foundations of depth 1.3m have been previously underpinned, Acer roots were identified beneath foundations to a depth of 2m, the soil has very high plasticity (volume change) and is desiccated at depth in association with roots. On balance the loss of the Acer to streetscape amenity will be compensated for by benefits to the growth of the adjacent street tree which has been detrimentally affected by the canopy spread of the Acer. Informative B: voluntary replacement planting in the front garden of 96 (and 98) is encouraged to maintain urban greening and streetscape amenity, suggested planting: a small species replacement tree from the NHBC low water demand list such as birch, elder, fig, hazel, magnolia, Laburnum.Informative C: please create habitat log piles with arisings for wildlife and biodiversity.