LOCALS are terrified an “excessively tall” tree will soon fall and crush their homes – but the council has refused to take action.
Residents on Worcester’s Columbia Drive claim the “menace” 100ft silver birch tree blocks their sunlight, casting a gloomy shadow over their properties.
They added that branches regularly rain down in extreme weather, and have demanded the council take immediate action.
But Worcester City Council have refused – claiming the tree poses no immediate risk and has issued a protection order for it.
“It’s getting excessively tall and branches are regularly coming down in winds, which could land on our cars below,” one homeowner argued.
“The roots are lifting up the ground in front of the house, we asked permission to fell the tree and replace it with a smaller one but the council said no.”
Other locals claimed that several other trees pose the same risk, and that’s it only a matter of time before they cause serious damage to homes.
Resident Chris Davis said: “The trees are way too high now. They were planted 20 years ago and they looked really nice.
“They are now growing in people’s gardens and have taken over the place and there is a real danger of them falling over in the wind.
“They need to be cut back by about a third. One of these days there will be a storm and these trees will definitely crash down onto someone’s home.
“There is a preservation order on almost all these trees even on the ones which are rotten and are at most risk of falling down.”
Local Helen Dawkins doubled down on her neighbours concerns.
She said: “Anyone can see that the trees have got to the stage now that they are dangerously high, particularly in high winds.
“Something has to be done before it’s too late.”
Another resident added: “There are tall birches all up the road which look nice but they have just got out of control.
“It must be 100ft tall which is daft. If it was a building, it’d never get planning permission but because it’s a tree it’s ok.
“When it is stormy or windy you can hear the branches snapping and breaking.
“In the summer, they cast so much shadow some rooms in my house never get any sunlight.
If a tree on your property is protected by a Tree Preservation Order then there is a right to appeal to the local planning authority along certain grounds.
Petrowsky does have an appeal claiming the tree is dangerous, but the council rejected it.
But, if the planning authority confirms the order following the 28-day period, there are limited options for the homeowner.
The only appeal one has after the order is confirmed is to the High Court, which has to be within six weeks of the order being made.
Trees can be selected for a TPO on an individual basis if the singular tree merits protection, such as if it is a native tree or if it positively affects the surrounding area.
Entire woodlands can also be protected by the order.
If you cut down a tree that has an order covering it then you could be taken to court by your council.
“The trees are nice to have but they are just too big.”
City planners have assured locals that “no evidence has been provided to suggest that the tree is in poor health or poses an immediate risk” to residents.
They continued: “Silver birch trees are naturally lightweight species, and regular maintenance, such as deadwood removal, would address the concerns of falling branches without requiring removal.
“In terms of root growth, I note that parked cars on the lawn may be exacerbating the issues of surface root exposure and compaction.”
The tree is subject to a tree preservation order, which means planning permission is needed before it can be felled or cut back.
They said there are several silver birches in the neighbourhood, making the tree an “important feature of the local streetscape”.
A council spokesperson added: “Insufficient evidence has been provided to justify the removal of the tree.”
