About my neighbours overhanging tree?

[Treestreestrees]

I’m nervous to approach my ndn about this and need advice on how best to handle....

We have detached houses with long drives. At the end of hers, right next to the dividing wall, she has a huge tree. I’d say at least 50% of its branches grow across the wall and hang over my drive.

It’s not been an issue all the time I’ve lived here (annoying when it sheds but I’ve just ignored it) but I’m
Getting the drive done and gates fitted at same time as having garden done.

Gardener cheerfully told me ‘I’ll bring the saw for that tree next week, it’s got to come down’ (because of gate).

I’ve panicked. The treees never been mentioned between us. She seems lovely and is likely v attached to this tree....it’s going to look ridiculous cut back. I mean really ridiculous. Half a tree will be missing

I know I’m in my legal rights, and I’m paying for it, but what on earth do I say to her??

Why are you panicking?

Just have a normal adult conversation with her, fgs!

Just talk to her!

Just say can I have a word as we have a problem which is really worrying me. At that point she might well be relieved you are only talking about the tree. You will, I expect, show that you don’t want to upset her and have a normal discussion. She might love the tree or she might even not mind if it is cut back or taken down.

I think you will have to explain that your having the gates fitted and the gardener has mentioned removing the tree, you had no idea this would be necessary and have been very stressed and worried because you didn't know this would be necessary and don't want to upset her and see what she says.

She might be fine about it all but is there absolutely no way of re jigging plans to leave the tree in place?

They are vital for air health, preventing flooding, good for wildlife etc.

I have two trees, big big and one not so big, one overhangs though the neighbours bit where it overhangs is very shady with nothing really able to grow and not really visible from the front of the garden as it's quite tucked away so not really that antisocial.

I must admit that although I'd be polite, hell would freeze over before I would agree to the removal of my trees!
I love them ❤️

Well you can cut down whatever is on your side, the issue is whether your chap is saying that the whole tree needs removing. You need to clarify first what needs to be done and then talk to ndn about it

Obviously I’m going to talk to her, I said that quite clearly, just wanted advice on what to say so thanks to the helpful posters 😂

It’s only the branches on my side that need removing, but as it’s 50% of the tree it’s going to look so weird once they’ve done cutting it back, literally like cutting a tree in half and leaving half there!

It would probably cost more, but could you get a proper tree surgeon in to 'crown lift' the tree? Basically, they prune it to lift the whole canopy rather than your gardener lopping of all the branches on one side. the would look much better, and also removing loads of branches on one side could de-stabilise the whole tree making it vulnerable to high winds.

If it actually needs to be felled, you would obviously need your NDNs permission, and if they say no, then tough.

Also - how big is the tree and how tall are the gates?! to need to chop a whole tree in half, the gates must be huge!

Photo/diagram?

Are you sure about how much overhanging there needs to be removed? Most gates are no higher than the average van and I'm sure they have managed to pass the tree since you moved in.

By all means have a discussion but actually your gardeners are out of order to only raise this now. The tree will look ludicrous, your neighbour will very likely not be at all happy and the tree might die anyway.

Better to have a proper discussion with alternatives to suggest.

Agree with the proper tree surgeon as a bare minimum.

Have you been driving in and out under the tree already?
Are you moving the drive or gate way position?
Where is the trunk of the tree in relation to the boundary?

I would be very cross if my neighbours just cut down half my tree without discussing it first.

Is there a compromise solution- trees are vital imo for wildlife, air quality and the environment.

Plus we need a diagram!

Well
The very first thing I would do is actually check that the gate can't be fitted with the tree in situ.
Only because I have cheerfully been told "facts" by builders etc in the past when, with some questioning, it is just what they would rather do.

So your chap says she’ll have to cut her tree that’s on her garden so you can fit a gate?

If I were her I wouldn’t agree to that. Sorry.

No idea how to do a diagram, I shall try haha.

Definitely need the branches cutting back. It’s a wide drive so we’ve been avoiding the branches by driving in at one side so far. It’s a low hanging type of tree too (can you tell I’m not a gardener 😂)

The gates will be quite tall (privacy and aesthetic reasons).

I don’t think the tree will need to be removed, the trunk is on her side, it’s just the branches across my land that need to be taken away. The trees just been left to grow unchecked really. Fingers crossed she doesn’t mind....I know she can’t stop me, but I don’t want any neighbourly Ill will!!

I have a pair of enormous trees on my front garden, they overhang the boundary with my neighbour. They have TPOs on them and so cannot be removed any work beyond small maintenance needs planning permission. We have them maintained by a licensed tree surgeon every other year (removal of dead wood and a health check). They do the whole tree, including anything overhanging our neighbours (we discuss with the neighbours first).

To those saying you can cut whatever is on your side, technically that is true so long as there isn’t a TPO on the tree. However, I would think carefully about doing so, especially if it is on the boundary and you are, essentially, going to be cutting 50% of the canopy away. You could seriously bugger up the balance if the tree and destabilise it, causing it to be way too heavy on one side and at risk of falling over (as well as affecting the look of it severely).

If the tree needs to come out for the gate to be fitted then you need to discuss it with your neighbour. It may not be possible (TPO or your neighbour may not want the tree removed) and you might have to come up with another solution for the gate fixings.

Sorry re typos

How tall are the gates? If they are over 2m (6'6") they will require Planning Permission.

Actually - if they are next to the road, they will need PP if they are over 1m in height. Have you checked with the council?

Ideally, if you are taking branches off the bottom on your side, the same should be done on her side. This is called a ‘crown lift’ in tree surgery lingo.

@Seeline they’re over a metre, nobody’s mentioned them needing pp to me yet 🙈 I’ll look into it!

So do people offer to pay for a tree surgeon to see to their neighbours whole tree then? As it’s for your benefit I guess?

There’s no tpo on it.

If it was my tree I would let you cut some branches off it but only after getting a competent arborist involved, not some random builder.

You need proper advice and get your neighbour involved asap. I would be unimpressed to be told that half my tree was going to be lopped in a matter of days.

And yes you need to check if it has a TPO or if you are in a conservation area there are rules too. Also check if the works need planning permission.

Well, I pay for my own tree surgery and wouldn’t expect my neighbour to. However, if your neighbour hasn’t been maintaining their trees at all over the years then I think you have to be prepared to cover some, if not all, of the cost of tree surgery job especially as it is for your benefit.

out of interest, if you have a very long drive, why do you need tall gates for privacy reasons? Sounds like it's going to look like a fortress.

I'm on Team Tree. Tree was there first.

I think Seeline's crown lift is the way to go here. Maybe it's the the wording being used but surely only a small number of its branches are actually in the way? You wouldn't - and definitely shouldn't - cut off branches all the way up the height of the tree. What species is it, could you take a photo and attach it? It sounds like it has pendent branches, hopefully not like a weeping willow? Something like that would be hellish to prune, but a pendulous birch, for example, wouldn't.

If you have to cut some branches off on your side, it would look far better if a few were trimmed all round the bole, so the tree's aspect is balanced.