4 Spring Grove Hampton TW12 2DP
Yew trees x2. Numbers 27 and 28 on the attached document. Spring Grove is a small development of 16 houses. Its residents greatly value the 40+ trees on the road and we have an ongoing programme of works to maintain them. However, some trees are in poor condition and their roots are damaging the estate's Victorian boundary wall, which residents are also duty bound to maintain. The roots on two of the trees are the reason behind the current issue. Last year, Gareth Jones, the Senior Building Surveyor from the Richmond and Wandsworth area Building Control Team contacted us to report that certain panels of the wall, particularly those adjacent to the trees under discussion, were in urgent need of attention and could even be dangerous. The wall contractor, with whom we have worked for many years and has considerable experience with old wall structures, has explained that the wall panels in question should be removed, the soil dug back, new footings installed, and a 9-inch brick wall and a solid 9-inch concrete block wall built. These would be backfilled using hardcore to keep pressure off the wall and drainage vents to be installed. In his view, there would be little point in carrying out this necessary but extensive work without first removing the two trees. A survey by The Tree Agency (our long-standing contractor) reported that these trees were already causing notable boundary wall displacement. After taking both contractors' professional advice, it was the view of the Spring Grove Management Company (of which I am a voluntary Director) that an effective solution to the problem could not be achieved without first lifting the TPOs on the two trees and carrying out the work proposed.