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Telegraph
a day ago
- General
- Telegraph
Residents' fury as council saves ‘Jack and the Beanstalk' tree
Residents in Winchester have said they are 'extremely angry' after a council voted to protect a 'Jack and the Beanstalk' oak tree they say is dangerous. People living on one of the Hampshire city's most prestigious roads called the decision to issue a preservation order on the 45ft tree 'grotesquely irresponsible' and 'ludicrous'. Officials unanimously approved the order after hearing of the 'biodiversity value' the oak has to Canon Street, which is near Winchester Cathedral. Dr Sandra Steel, who lives nearby, spoke for residents at the Winchester city council planning meeting on Wednesday. According to the BBC, she said the tree's spreading roots 'cause structural damage', adding that 'our historic houses are particularly vulnerable'. On hearing the verdict, Dr Steel said: 'You are waiting for our houses to fall down, I guess.' She said [residents] all 'feel extremely angry' and called the decision 'quite ridiculous', adding: 'An oak tree belongs to an open area or a forest, not in gardens of historic houses.' The o ak tree was planted about 50 years ago and grew by 6ft last year. Residents have said it is 'out of proportion' to the surrounding properties and dominates the small garden in which it sits. When the current homeowners applied to have the tree felled, the council put a preliminary protection order on it, saying it was 'appreciated' by residents on a neighbouring street and was nice to look at. Mark Pocock, another resident, previously called the decision to protect the tree 'ludicrous', adding: 'If it were to fall and damage properties or persons, I would say the responsibility would be entirely with the council – not the owners of those properties. 'I think putting a tree protection order on it is grotesquely irresponsible. It could be a danger to property and life.' Nick Goff, who moved into his property on an adjacent road just over a year ago, added: 'The issue is that in 10 years that will be double the height and double the width. It put on 6ft last year, and it's going to put on another 6ft this year. 'Some guy planted this as something to do 40 years ago. Now, we have got Jack and the Beanstalk. It's not a historic tree – it's a silly mistake.' During the planning meeting, John Bartlett, the local authority's tree officer, said the oak was 'one of the last remaining significant trees' in that area. He told councillors: 'It has a significant biodiversity value supporting many different species. A mature oak tree can support up to 2,300 species, possibly more, when it reaches maturity, and its importance is only increased by the fact that it's in this urban landscape.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Winchester residents 'angry' as a large tree gets protection
Residents have said they feel "extremely angry" after a council voted unanimously to protect a controversial oak City Council received an intention to fell the more than 40-year-old tree from neighbours who raised concerns that it could damage their at a council planning meeting, the local authority's tree officer John Bartlett said there was "no evidence of actual damage being caused".The council approved a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), which legally protects it from damage or destruction. Mr Bartlett said it contributed meaningfully to local biodiversity and visual amenity, adding that its ecological and landscape value outweighed the reported nuisance oak, which is situated in a conservation area, is located in the garden of a home on Canon Street, close to Winchester Cathedral. Dr Sandra Steel lives in a home on the adjacent St Swithun Street and spoke for residents at the planning meeting."The spreading roots cause structural damage," she that "our historic houses are particularly vulnerable".Some of the properties on the road date back to the 17th Century and Ms Steel said there was evidence of "cracks in garden walls".She added that it was increasing the insurance of the local these claims the council approved the protection order and said further evidence would need to be provided to consider the felling of the hearing that verdict, Ms Steel said: "You are waiting for our houses to fall down I guess."Speaking after the meeting she said they all "feel extremely angry" and called it "quite ridiculous"."An oak tree belongs an open area or a forest, not in gardens of historic houses," Ms Steel added. At least nine residents raised concerns about the tree's proximity and size after they said it had grown by 6ft (1.8m) in the last said that the height and mass of the tree combined with unpredictable weather patterns could lead to serious damage to properties or injury of argued that any sustainable management plan would require pruning on a five-year cycle, which is seen as an unfair and impractical burden on objectors added that the tree, which they claim blocks light and sheds a substantial amount of leaves and said it is willing to accept further reductions to previous cut points on a 5–10 year cycle to improve light penetration to surrounding properties. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
