Latest news with #Tree Preservation Order
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
The moving story behind this newly protected tree in London suburb
A rare grapefruit tree growing on Queenstown Road in Battersea, London, has been issued with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) by Wandsworth Council. The tree, one of only a few grapefruit trees found outside Kew Gardens in the UK, was planted in the 1980s by the late resident Marline Anderson, who brought a sapling from Grenada. The additional protection was granted following a successful campaign by locals, who sought to safeguard the beloved tree in Ms Anderson's memory after her passing. Wandsworth Council's deputy leader, Kemi Akinola, confirmed the TPO was issued to ensure the local landmark stands for generations and to recognise the community's wishes. Neighbours have also installed a plaque at the tree's site in Ms Anderson's honour, featuring a quote advising people to gather fallen fruit rather than picking it.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Why this rare tree in London is now protected under law
A 'beloved' rare tree growing on a street in London has now been granted extra protections under the law. The grapefruit tree growing on Queenstown Road in Battersea has been issued with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), the local council announced on Thursday. It is one of just a handful of grapefruit trees that can be found growing outside of Kew Gardens in the UK. The additional protection for the tropical landmark came after a successful campaign by locals. One of the street's residents, the late Marline Anderson, brought the tree over as a sapling from Grenada to the south-west of the capital in the 1980s. She planted it in the front garden of her Battersea home, and it now bears fruit all year round. Kemi Akinola, deputy leader of Wandsworth Council, said: 'We were very pleased to grant the TPO and ensure that this beloved local landmark stands for generations to come. 'Marline was much loved by her neighbours and we're proud to have listened to the wishes of the community. 'In our year as London borough of culture, it's great to recognise the contribution that people of African and Caribbean heritage have made to Wandsworth.' After Ms Anderson's death in June, locals launched the campaign with the hope of having the tree protected in her memory. It was previously reported that residents had raised concerns that the tree could face being chopped down. But the council has now made the TPO, which it said aims to protect trees that make a significant impact on their local surroundings. These might be specific trees or woodlands that are considered important to the local environment, landscape, or public amenity. Neighbours have also installed a plaque at the site in Ms Anderson's honour, alongside a quote from her that reads: 'Kindly refrain from picking from the tree. You are welcome to gather what nature has let fall.' Ms Anderson's friend and neighbour, Vasilisa Ermakova, told the BBC: 'Her last wish was for me to do a plaque on the tree to say where it's from, and why she planted it.' It is unusual for citrus plants like grapefruit trees to survive winter outdoors even in the warmest parts of the UK, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Therefore, it advises growers to keep their plants somewhere insulated, like a greenhouse, instead. The RHS said the plants produce 'fragrant white flowers, glossy evergreen leaves and juicy, tangy fruits'. With some varieties, the citrus-scented flowers appear all year round, while others flower in late winter and the resulting fruits ripen slowly for up to a year.
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Why this rare tree in London is now protected under law
A 'beloved' rare tree growing on a street in London has now been granted extra protections under the law. The grapefruit tree growing on Queenstown Road in Battersea has been issued with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), the local council announced on Thursday. It is one of just a handful of grapefruit trees that can be found growing outside of Kew Gardens in the UK. The additional protection for the tropical landmark came after a successful campaign by locals. One of the street's residents, the late Marline Anderson, brought the tree over as a sapling from Grenada to the south-west of the capital in the 1980s. She planted it in the front garden of her Battersea home, and it now bears fruit all year round. Kemi Akinola, deputy leader of Wandsworth Council, said: 'We were very pleased to grant the TPO and ensure that this beloved local landmark stands for generations to come. 'Marline was much loved by her neighbours and we're proud to have listened to the wishes of the community. 'In our year as London borough of culture, it's great to recognise the contribution that people of African and Caribbean heritage have made to Wandsworth.' After Ms Anderson's death in June, locals launched the campaign with the hope of having the tree protected in her memory. It was previously reported that residents had raised concerns that the tree could face being chopped down. But the council has now made the TPO, which it said aims to protect trees that make a significant impact on their local surroundings. These might be specific trees or woodlands that are considered important to the local environment, landscape, or public amenity. Neighbours have also installed a plaque at the site in Ms Anderson's honour, alongside a quote from her that reads: 'Kindly refrain from picking from the tree. You are welcome to gather what nature has let fall.' Ms Anderson's friend and neighbour, Vasilisa Ermakova, told the BBC: 'Her last wish was for me to do a plaque on the tree to say where it's from, and why she planted it.' It is unusual for citrus plants like grapefruit trees to survive winter outdoors even in the warmest parts of the UK, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Therefore, it advises growers to keep their plants somewhere insulated, like a greenhouse, instead. The RHS said the plants produce 'fragrant white flowers, glossy evergreen leaves and juicy, tangy fruits'. With some varieties, the citrus-scented flowers appear all year round, while others flower in late winter and the resulting fruits ripen slowly for up to a year.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Battersea grapefruit tree given protected status
A grapefruit tree thought to be the only one of its kind in the UK growing outside of Kew Gardens has been granted additional protection.A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) has been issued to the tropical landmark on Queenstown Road in Battersea following a campaign by was brought from Grenada to south-west London as a sapling in the 1980s by one of the street's residents, Marline Anderson, who died in Akinola, deputy leader of Wandsworth Council, said: "We were very pleased to grant the TPO and ensure that this beloved local landmark stands for generations to come." Ms Akinola added: "Marline was much-loved by her neighbours and we're proud to have listened to the wishes of the community."In our year as London borough of culture, it's great to recognise the contribution that people of African and Caribbean heritage have made to Wandsworth."Residents had previously told the BBC of their fears it could be chopped down, describing it as "a brilliant landmark". A memorial plaque has been put in place to remember Ms Anderson and to explain the tree's history to anyone walking by."Her last wish was for me to do a plaque on the tree to say where it's from, and why she planted it," said Ms Anderson's friend and neighbour Vasilisa is a message on it from Ms Anderson, which reads: "Kindly refrain from picking from the tree. You are welcome to gather what nature has let fall."
Daily Mail
26-07-2025
- Daily Mail
I chopped down a protected willow tree to build a £75,000 two-storey man cave in my garden... my neighbours hate it but I don't care
A man who illegally chopped down a protected willow tree to build a £75k 'man cave' in his back garden is at war with neighbours and the local council. Justin Claybourn, 56, erected the two-storey annexe without planning permission has now been hit with a hefty fine and ordered to demolish the entire structure. He flouted council rules by constructing the 12-metre-long hideaway behind his detached home in the picturesque Foggathorpe, an ancient East Yorkshire hamlet referenced in the Domesday Book. Despite being granted permission for a single-storey garage, the father-of-two spent £75,000 on a lavish DIY project complete with a steel staircase, French doors, and first-floor balcony that neighbours say invades their privacy. Mr Claybourn, a plumber and builder, also illegally chopped down a mature 50ft willow tree that had been protected under a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). East Riding of Yorkshire Council has now ordered him to demolish the 'entirely unauthorised' building, staircase and an adjoining timber pergola 'in their entirety'. In response, the self-employed plumber denied wrongdoing and accused town hall planners of 'stabbing me in the back'. Mr Claybourn argued the building - used for his hobby of restoring classic cars and offering his daughter a place to stay - falls within permitted development rules, claiming the council misread his original plans. Insisting he is '100% guaranteed to win' an appeal, the defiant tradesman told MailOnline: 'I can't lose. I won't have to demolish it. 'The worst-case scenario is I would have to take the windows and the staircase out, and that's it. 'If push comes to shove, I won't be able use it. But I'm not knocking it down. 'It would never have got to this stage if the council had read the initial plans. But they're being absolutely horrendous. They're doing everything they can to stab me in the back.' Council planners originally green-lit the proposal in 2021, approving a modest brick garage which it said would be similar in height to neighbours', on the strict condition the mature willow tree would be safeguarded. Mr Claybourne admitted lopping down the protected tree after completing the build - an action that led to court-ordered fines and costs totalling £5,644. He admitted: 'I cut the tree down after I built the garage, because a branch fell off and smashed the garage roof in. 'It's a willow tree. It's an invasive species in my back garden and it was out of control. 'Branches were falling off. They smashed the fence panels in on the right-hand side of my house. I had to pay for them. 'I've got grandkids. If my grandkids come in and something falls off it, what do you do? So, I just took the bullet and I cut it down." East Riding council pursued enforcement action claiming that what eventually emerged on the site was not in line with what had been signed off, and included a bathroom, kitchen, reception room and additional Velux windows. Emma Lister, who lives next door, said the giant annexe had left her family feeling exposed in their own garden. In an objection to Mr Claybourn's rebuffed retrospective planning application, the mother-of-two wrote: 'We strongly object to the addition of glass doors, a balcony or seating area, and an external staircase at the rear first floor of the garage/store, which sits directly next to the boundary of our garden. 'The elevated position and close proximity of the structure result in significant overlooking, severely impacting our privacy. It is also completely out of character with the surrounding properties in this residential area.' Mr Claybourn has appealed to the planning inspectorate, with a decision expected later in the year. He said: 'If I have to do, I'll take the windows out and I'll take the staircase down. 'We've got to draw a line under it somewhere and come to an agreement. 'If I thought I had to knock it down, I would never have built it. 'If I have to demolish it, can you imagine the mess?' In enforcement documents seen by MailOnline, East Riding officials declared: 'The appearance of the building has been substantially altered... and as a result appears out of scale with the domestic setting of the site and does not comply with the design code. 'As approved, the garage would have complemented the scale and appearance of the neighbouring garage. However, the development as built appears as a dominant feature when viewed from the street.' The council report added: 'The building has been designed to be capable of being occupied independently of the main dwelling since the accommodation comprises a kitchen, bathroom, reception room and 'store' and has been used for residential accommodation. 'As a result of the building being entirely unauthorised, there is no control with regards the occupation of the accommodation. This could result in an unacceptable impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring occupiers from noise and disturbance.' In response, Mr Claybourn said that stonework was reclaimed from a church conversion to match the original property and that 6.25m height of the annexe was only marginally bigger than that initially approved. He was taken to court in January and ordered to pay £5,644 in fines and costs for lopping down the willow, which was said to have been in 'good health' before being razed. The court heard he initially caused serious damage by pollarding the tree, before then going on to completely remove it. A council spokesperson said: 'The works were undertaken without any consent either for the initial works to pollard the tree, or the works to fell the tree. 'Investigations by the East Riding of Yorkshire council's planning department revealed that the tree appeared to be in good health prior to the work taking place.' Councillor Gary McMaster, of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: 'The council takes protection of trees seriously and takes robust action where illegal behaviour occurs.' If Mr Claybourn loses an ongoing appeal with the Planning Inspectorate, he will have six months to tear down the annexe or face the prospect of again being summoned to court. East Riding of Yorkshire Council said it would not comment during the appeal process.
