Street Trees Consultation

The consultation period has now ended.

The Council received five responses to this consultation.

Three respondents objected to the proposed removal, emphasising the tree’s maturity, its contribution to the character of the street, and wider environmental and wellbeing benefits. These responses also suggested that alternative engineering approaches should be explored to enable retention, such as changes to kerb alignment, use of different kerb designs, or removal of parking spaces.

One respondent expressed conditional acceptance of the proposal, noting that while retention would be preferable, removal may be necessary given the constraints.

One respondent supported the proposal, citing concerns about damage to adjacent property, damp issues, and potential safety risks associated with the tree and its roots.

We would like to thank all those who took the time to share their views. All responses have been carefully considered as part of the decision-making process.

Following this review, the Council has decided to proceed with the removal of the tree at 10–16 Matthews Street.

This decision has been made after careful consideration of the consultation responses alongside engineering and arboricultural advice.

The footway reconstruction at Matthews Street is significantly constrained by the presence of extensive and mature tree roots within the highway. The roots run along the line where a kerb needs to be installed to support the new surface, which prevents the kerb from being put in place. They also extend across the full width of the footway at a shallow depth, meaning the existing surface cannot be removed or replaced to the required depth.

There is also evidence that the roots are affecting the area in front of the neighbouring property, with signs of damage to the private forecourt.

From a highways perspective, this means that a properly constructed and durable footway cannot be delivered without removing or significantly disturbing the roots. Alternative approaches have been considered, including laying a new surface over the existing one or cutting back selected roots. However:

• Laying a new surface over the existing one would change the slope of the footway, causing water to run towards the neighbouring property and increasing the risk of damage;
• Cutting back enough of the roots to carry out the works would be likely to weaken the tree and affect its stability.

Other construction approaches were also explored, but none were found to provide a solution that would both meet the required standards for a safe, long-lasting footway and avoid unacceptable impacts on the tree or nearby property.

While the tree is in good health and provides amenity value, the roots involved are substantial and essential to its stability. As a result, there is no viable option that would allow the footway to be properly reconstructed while safely retaining the tree.

The Council has given full consideration to the views expressed through the consultation, including the preference for retaining the tree and the suggestions for alternative approaches. However, the technical constraints remain overriding. The inability to construct a safe and compliant footway, combined with the risks to drainage and adjacent properties, means that retaining the tree would result in a substandard and potentially unsafe highway.

Having considered:

• engineering requirements and constraints;
• arboricultural advice; and
• consultation responses,

the Council has concluded that removal of the tree is necessary to enable the delivery of a safe, compliant, and maintainable footway.

Location of tree(s): 10-16 Matthews Street, SW11 5AB

How many trees are affected: 1

Species: Liquidamber

Why we propose to fell these trees: The roots of the tree are preventing the installation of a kerb which is needed to help re-surface the footway.