28 Little Minster Street Winchester Hampshire SO23 9HB
It is proposed to fell the common bay tree (T1) and replant, in the positions shown, two espalier apple trees (Malus Domestica: T2, T3) supported on horizontal wires against the wall and the re-installed trellis surmounting the wall. The reason for this are:1. Security. A recent survey by Croma Security has identified concerns about the security of the house via the courtyard. to the side of the courtyard wall is the Arup carpark opening off the street and ungated. It serves the surrounding offices and provides potential access to intruders. Arup?s fairly recently built secure metal bike shed is situated only about 60 cm from the wall. This gap is thus narrow enough to facilitate scaling the wall and is moreover largely hidden from carpark users and ourselves. The bay tree is close to the wall and thus provides support to an intruder climbing and descending the wall and also a degree of cover when within the garden. Removing the existing tree and reinstating a 60-90 cm high trellis on top of the wall (as our neighbours on the south side have, see photo) should deter intruders attempting access from the ground or from on top of the bike store. 2. Damage to retaining wall. The roots of the tree completely fill the 30cm wide bed between the boundary wall and a 50cm high retaining wall The pressure created by the growth of the lower parts of the tree is causing the retaining wall to crack (see photos).3 The tree is unsightly and at over 3 meters high is out of scale of the courtyard. We feel that this proposal will be more secure, protect our garden structures, is more in keeping with the courtyard and has no detrimental on neighbours or the environment.