Council planting tree outside myhouse

[alison222]

Any ideas on how to successfuly object to the coucil planting a tree outside my house and another one outside next door but one?

We have virtually no front gardens and I am very worried about the foundations and subsidence since the house is 100 years old.
Its not that I don't like trees I just think that they shouldn't be so close to houses.

My obections so far are - Roots growing and withdrawing moisture form soil may cause cracks/subsidence.
Leaves will block the road drain right next to the proposed site and fill my garden with leaves.
It will narrow the pavement - already narrow enough whan you are pushing a double buggy.
It will severly reduce the sunlight into my house - currenltly the front room is the only one that gets the sun in it and is the warmest in winter.
Falling branches are a potential danger to the property

I have 10 days from today to object - by phone according to the leaflet through my door.

They do not say what type of tree they propose only that it is selected not to get "too big" whatever that may mean. the tree opposite in the pavement is much taller than the house

The council owns loads of parkland in the borough on which it could build trees if as the leaflet suggests it is worried about improving the air by filtering dust etc.

no idea. i love the teres outside my house, the kids like watching the bird in them. but then the trees have been here as long as the houses have.

Don't know about the rest, but do know that houses on tree-lined roads are worth more and we lobbied our council to get our trees! They are all still v small though. The leaves have never blocked the road drain and it hasn't reduced the light into the house - the trees are very small with very slim trunks. So my experience is good - and the road already looks nicer.

Odd isn't it? There's a huge hooha here about the council deciding to cut down some trees because a homeowner objected to them (trees 80-100 years old, owner moved in less than 1 year ago and obviously knew they were there!). Trees do a huge amount of good and make the roads look nicer. I would write to the council (don't phone) and ask what trees they are intending to plant and what the prognosis is re all the things you have listed. At least then, if any of these things do happen, you have it in writing that you raised these problems and the council will be hard pressed to avoid responsibility.

yes I do love the trees around but the other side of the road is already lined with trees taller than the houses. There are loads in everyones back gardens if you look out of the back of the house so its not like I'm missing greenery.
My real worry is subsidence having lived in a flat a few roads away whre there was subsidence due to the councils tree in the road outside - according to the experts called in by the insurnace company. There were roots arond all the drains and in the foundations the sol tests showed the tree was taking excess moisture but the council refused to admit liability. The insurance company eventually decided to pay for repairs but then went bust before they could be done leaving the ground floor flat with huge problems as the guy needed to sell up and move.
Its the same council and the houses are of a similar age.

I have tried to contact the council but so far cant get hold of anyone who can tell me exactly what sort of tree, height spread etc etc.

Oh and as there have been similar problems around here it is already difficult to get insurance as the insurance companies are paraniod about subsidence from trees without moving one nearer than exctly opposite me on the other side of the road.