Trees in the walkway to Henlow park adjacent to 39 The Dairy need cutting back and also has a fungus / pesticide on it which is making the paths very sticky

Updates

• State changed to: Investigating

  Updated by Central Bedfordshire Council at 21:41, Fri 9 June 2023

• Trees dont appear to have any fungi upon inspection - both appear stable and safe.

  Below is an exert from our Tree Policy outlining what we do/dont prune trees for:

  • Trees Touching Property
  If a highways-maintained tree is touching a property, we will take action to remove the nuisance.

  • Blocking Views
  The law stipulates that there is no right to a ‘view’. The Council will not prune or fell a tree to alter the view from a private property.

  • Tree Too Large or Too Tall
  The Council will not fell or prune a tree because it is perceived as being ‘too large’ or ‘too tall’. A tree is not considered dangerous based on its size. It may become dangerous when a structural or physiological fault has developed or due to severe weather events. Our tree inspections criteria and frequency are detailed above.

  • Light and Shade
  We will not prune or fell a highways-maintained tree to improve natural light to a property. The law stipulates that there is no general right to light. Any right to light would need to be established via a specific grant or by prescription, which can only occur where the right has been enjoyed uninterrupted for a minimum of 20 years (Prescription Act 1832). Following this, a legal right to light can only be enjoyed in relation to a specific opening (such as a window) in a building. There is no right to light in connection with open land, such as a garden. If these conditions are met, then the owner of the building is ‘entitled’ to such access of light as will leave their premises adequately lit for all purposes for which they may reasonably expect to be used.

  • Blocked Drains
  The Council will not fell, prune or cut the roots of a tree whose roots have entered a drain that is already broken or damaged. Typically, tree roots will only enter drains that are already damaged. Tree roots in drains are usually symptomatic of an underlying issue that requires attention. If you have concerns regarding the condition of your drains, please contact your water and sewage company. Householders are usually responsible for the maintenance of drains within their property boundary. Often, once a blockage is cleared, the instillation of a plastic sleeve within the existing system will prevent the reoccurrence of the problem.

  • Leaves/Blossom
  The Council will not fell or prune a tree to remove or reduce leaf-fall and blossom or remove leaves from a private property. Leaf-fall and blossom are natural processes and cannot be avoided by pruning. The maintenance of gutters is a landowner’s responsibility and the Council is not obliged to remove leaves that may have fallen from our trees.
  For roads and pavements, Waste Services are responsible for the removal of leaf/blossom litter. All highway gullies are cleaned out by our contractor on a three-year cycle; vulnerable gullies are cleaned out annually.

  • Sticky Sap
  The Council will not fell or prune a tree where honeydew or other sticky residue has become an issue. Honeydew is caused by greenfly (aphids) feeding on a tree, they excrete a sugary sap. Unfortunately, it is not practical to remove the aphids. Pruning will only offer a temporary relief and the resulting regrowth is more likely to be colonised by greenfly.
  Certain species of tree, such as lime, are favoured by greenfly and are more likely to be colonised and there are yearly fluctuations in greenfly numbers. Where new trees are planted, we endeavour to choose Lime species less likely to cause this problem such as Mongolian Lime. For honeydew residue left on cars, it can usually be removed with warm, soapy water.

  • Tree Pollen
  The Council will not fell or prune a tree to remove or reduce pollen release. Generally, the health benefits of trees far outweigh any negative effects from pollen. Tree pollen is continuously present during certain times of the year with billions of spores carried in the air. Therefore, the removal of specific trees will offer no improvement or relief to pollen

  State changed to: No further action

  Posted by Central Bedfordshire Council at 12:57, Fri 7 July 2023