TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS/REPLANTING

If the council do check up and you haven’t planted the worst you will get is an enforcement notice, just say you forgot, you won’t be planting until autumn anyway.

Planning appeals are costly as you need professional representation and if you lose you are likely to be ordered to pay the Council’s costs as well as your own. I’m afraid your inability to pay for the new trees is not a ground for appeal.

Trees are not the solution to the planet problems. To look after a tree properly takes time and lots of water. I fully understand why people don't want to replace them. I do think that certain trees are beautiful, unfortunately we have ugly diseased trees. Even so TPOs prevent a lot of work which could resolve this. Branches are allowed to rub up and scar the other trees. Devon and Cornwall have prolific tree disease (look at the government website). A smaller tree can be planted by us but 8cm requires professional planting as per the council letter. I just want flexibility. I doubt that the council will forget.

NotSpaghetti

*Katie*, it's 8cm around not the diameter that they want planted. So about 2.5 cms or an inch in diameter.

Removing a tree IS very costly. My daughter wants to remove a pair of leylandi that are in the garden of her new home. She was quoted by two tree surgeons and it seems it would be about 900 each.

I can't believe people are pleased to be "getting away with" not replacing trees.
very sad.

Correct, it’s a tree that can be handled easily and planted by any able bodied person, with normal garden tools.
If you really don’t want a new tree just “forget” to plant it and hope the council does.

Katie, it's 8cm around not the diameter that they want planted. So about 2.5 cms or an inch in diameter.

Removing a tree IS very costly. My daughter wants to remove a pair of leylandi that are in the garden of her new home. She was quoted by two tree surgeons and it seems it would be about 900 each.

I can't believe people are pleased to be "getting away with" not replacing trees.
very sad.

The girth of a tree is measured 1.5m from the ground so automatically a tall tree. Look at paramount trees for prices. The condition states professional planting. If the trees were smaller and allowed us to plant then even with delivery it would be around £150. You are correct in that ideally we would not replant as we already have 7 other trees in the back garden and have over 50 on the side area. Most of the trees on the side are diseased and will fall soon. I can't get the owner to remove them despite the threat to our house. I am concerned new trees will also get disease. One tree has already fallen and damaged our house and the tree surgeon confirmed that there were no signs of disease on the outside of the tree. Only the inside had signs. We have another tree which will need felling( one quote of £1580 incl vat. Another at £1200 Inc vat). The tree officer has confirmed that the soil will carry the disease. He thinks healthy plants may survive but another tree surgeon thinks the new trees will eventually die too. So why I have to spend so much on trees with an expected short life span is frustrating. I have lived near trees all my life and never had problems before but the rigidity of TPOs is something I had never encountered before.. Some tree surgeons refuse to give quotes if there is a tpo involved as refusal to fell trees are often refused. I think those that do quote hike up their prices. The same with firms that supply trees locally.

I really can't believe the costs quoted, especially the price of replacement trees. I believe you're exaggerating the costs and difficulties involved - as you just don't want to replace them.

Any gardener, most people (even I) can plant trees, it's not difficult. What species/type of tree do you need?

So what did the tree officer say? Take out a loan/pay on your Barclaycard? Were you aware when you bought the property that this might happen?

we are told we need to replant within 2 years and have to send in a photo of the trees. I'm surprised that Katie59 thinks £1000 plus is reasonable . We are pensioners and don't have a good income.
the cheaper firms will not deliver . another has quoted £100 for delivery for 2 x 4cm trees costing £600, a total bill of £700 when that still does not meet the 8cm requirement . in addition we have to pay to have one diseased tree cut down - that is costing over £1200.

This is very timely for me.
We live in a 3 sided Close, pedestrianised. with a small hill and several small trees in the centre. very green and peaceful.
I think it was built as a small council estate and has become mostly privately owned.
This morning a tree cuttting team arrived and a tree surgeon/ butcher started to demolish the 2 trees visible from our house.
An old man (told me was 85) who lives opposite us, who calls himself the Mafia for the square, came out and challenged them. Told them to stop.
Boss called in from the Council. other residents joined in.
Eventually the whole expensive operation called off.

8 cm is nearly 4 inches, and a lot older than 3 yrs, some species would be 10 yrs plus, and it would come with a a root ball.
Depending on species you can buy online for £1-200 and could be planted by a normal gardener, no need for mechanical handling, it would need staking for support until established.

This is one fight you’re not going to win, if you are a house owner £500-£1000 is not unreasonable

We had two horse chestnut trees felled as diseased. We were told to replant with a pink flowered variety, just one. That was 11 years ago and nobody has been to check.

If they haven't given you a time frame to replant leave it until they contact you.
We had x2 very large Oaks felled (long story) and they went on about replanting. That was about 8 years ago, we didn't bother and so far they haven't got back to us.

8cm girth is really not a big tree. It's likely to be about 3 years old.
I would suggest you call these people below for advice as they used to have native trees much bigger than 8cms at much less than you've been quoted.
www.barcham.co.uk/

Good luck.

I'm sorry they are expensive but it's definitely a good thing to do.

thanks for the advice but we cannot afford over £1000 for 2 trees plus the cost of the professional service to plant them. appeals for not planting trees are free ( I accept that there may be other costs ) but how can anybody in this current climate payout around £1500 ?

An initial opinion shouldn't cost too much. They may well advise that you will spend more on an appeal than on planting new trees. Pointless to appeal if they advise you're not likely to win.

Problem is a planning consultant will probably cost you more than planting the trees, and you might not win if they dig their heels in.

You need advice from a local planning consultant.

the tree replacement order specifically states the trees have to be replaced with 8cm girth. I can cope with saplings as a quarter of the cost but can't afford the 2 trees costing over £500 each plus the professional planting. Yes I've spoken to the tree officer

Why can't you plant large saplings?
Have you had a full conversation with the tree officer?