Monstrous Sycamore

Hi all, In the west corner of the garden -( well actually the far east corner of the neighbours garden as the trunk is technically in their garden with most of the canopy spanning ours.) is a huge sycamore tree which is growing at an alarming rate. it is in a line with three other sycamores but is by far the dominant one with biggest canopy

When we moved in last year it didn't bother me but it's grown so much this year and blocks out so much more light and is affecting the lawn, but mostly we start to lose the sun from 4 onwards and gone by 5;30pm (7.30pm last year!) in a south west facing garden. There are also other annoyances, the mess, which is considerable on the lawn, pigeons roosting and their mess etc etc. We live in a conservation area, I know i'm probably on a hiding to nothing thinking about getting rid of this tree - but i'm wondering if it's worth looking into reducing it's size, we have had some tree work done and the neighbours are pretty amenable though expect we'd have to cough up. I'm sure this is costly and just wonder if there is any point based on the rate it would grow back.9if we were even allowed) there are other issues in that being in a corner the canopy hangs over 4 gardens and where we would want some reduction is actually in branches over hanging another neighbours garden in order to get our later afternoon/evening sun back.

Would welcome any thoughts from anyone who has managed a similar problem. I don't want to let this spoil the enjoyment of my garden and i'm keen to find out if there is anything I can do, otherwise i will just learn to live with it.

Many thanks EGW

 

Not a Sycamore, but this might be worth a look at,

http://www.bushywood.com/nuisance_hedge_legislation.htm

 

I had the same issue with a Beech tree in a neighbours garden, which cast darkness over 1/4 of my garden and also other neighbours.
We asked the property owner if he would consider having it trimmed. He refused. The cost to him would be about £800.
We then suggested that 3 neighbours would consider removing the offending branches from our side, and would he like to become involved at a cost of £200 and lop off the top section. Again he refused.
We subsiquently scalped the 2 sides of the tree that was affecting the other 3 gardens. It didn't look pretty, but released a lot of light to parts of the garden that had previously been unusable from the aspect of successful growing.
The following year saw a big improvement.

After some severe gales the offending neighbour became concerned the imbalance of the tree canopy might cause the tree to topple in the direction of maximum weight - towards HIS house. Strangely he has now had 30' taken off the top.

He eventually saw the light - and so did the bottom of my garden. This year I have a tremendous crop of Gooseberries (from bushes that have been there for 8 years and last year was the first time any fruit had developed).

Remember that you have the right to remove any overhanging branches, without the permission of the neighbour - and legally I believe you have to return the offcut back to the owner of the tree
(I would check whether you can just toss it back over the fence though - there's probably some by-law you have to comply with.)

Good luck with getting some movement.

 

Just be careful to check for preservation orders before removing branches. I think its up to £20,000 fine

 

I've got the same problem with a tree that's grown far too big for its boots next door. Its owned by an old lady, who is lovely, and openly admits she can't manage her garden. I could cut loads off my side but to be honest the whole tree needs a hair cut and I'm kind of reluctant to ask her in case the tree has sentimental value to her.

 

Always knew you were a sweetie

 

There's the same protection afforded in a Conservation Area, which apparently this tree is within. Perhaps it would be worth seeking some informal pre-application advice from the Local Planning Authority's Arboricultural/Tree Works Officer who advises the LPA on such applications.

 

Hi Elliegreenwelly

I've been involved in carrying out tree work at the behest of the tree owner's neighbours, and it all comes down to how amenable and neighbourly the tree owner is. If the tree owner is the friendly sort who doesn't want there to be any grief between neighbours then approach them to discuss the option of reducing or thinning the tree's crown. Discussing this openly with the tree owner and other affected neighbours may produce the best results, rather than going about it behind the tree owner's back. As you live in a conservation area you may need to get permission from the local council before any work can be undertaken; but this is a free service.

 

if the tree is causing you stress, making your home dark, and killing your plants and lawn, take the neighbour to the nearest pub, have a friendly chat and a few pints ... and explain your concerns

if the neighbour is reasonable, the problem will most probably be solved at the pub ...

if not, make it very clear to the neighbour that you will complain to your local parish counciller, or take them to court and let a judge decide, as the tree is devaluing your property

thats what I would do

 

You could have a friendly word, Clueless. If the garden is getting beyond her she might be quite grateful for some help. Most old ladies in my road are quite fearful of trees blocking the light as what they really want to grow are lots of sun-loving flowers!

 

She is a very proud old stick. For ages she wouldn't let me trim her side of the boundary hedge. I thought it was because she thought I'd ruined my side. Eventually, after several months, when she bumped into my wife at the bus stop, she brought up the subject of the massively overgrown hedge. I didn't know about this until I too spoke to her next in the street. It turns out she'd already paid her regular gardener to do it months beforehand, and had had to phone him repeatedly to ask him to come round and do it. After a couple of months, she sacked him. She got another gardener on the case, who didn't even bother to turn up to have a look, so she swallowed her pride and asked if my offer still stands.

I can see her back garden from the lad's bedroom window, and it is awful (and I don't mean that in a nasty way, just it hasn't been maintained in years). I feel bad for her because she has a great grandson about the same age as my son and when he's there, weather permitting, they play in the garden. If I had the time and the expertise, I'd offer to look after her whole garden for her, but I'm not expert enough, I dont really have the time, and I think she'd be too proud to accept free help anyway.

 

thanks all, I'll have a word with the neighbour and see what their thoughts are - I can't see that they'd foot the bill and wouldn't want to ask them to I think cost may be prohibitive for us at the moment anyway :(

 

Sycamore is a greedy thug - I seriously hope from jobsworth twit hasn't allowed a tree preservation order to be placed on it ...

If "canopy reduction" is done I would expect it to significantly slow it down - it will divert attention to "bushing up" rather than reaching for the sky. However, that operation will need to be repeated (tree surgeon can estimate how often for you)

If it is cheaper to clear-fell it ?? you could offer to buy a nicer, smaller, replacement of her choice to plant in its place?

She could perhaps buy some plant(s) for your garden for any help you give, rather than paying you cash? You might both see that as more "acceptable" ?

When someone tries to pay me for some favour I do for them I suggest a plant for my garden instead as something to remember them by

 

Dear EGW,

This information might help.

It's all about Common Law 'harm'. Is their property (the tree) harming you or not? Unless the tree itself has a preservation order on it (King Charles hid in it or something) then your neighbour could be liable.

My mum has a bungalow in a conservation area (right in the New Forest). The neighbour said Mum's two conifers blocked their light. She disagreed at first so they then got the council to tell my Mum to get them shortened. She did even though it cost her a fortune. So if I were you, I'd get the council to send an assessor. Just tell your neighbour the council offered to give an independant opinion - which kind of absolves you of what the council will do next. And what the council will probably do is send the neighbour a written order to cut the branches and of course pay for it.

 

I would urge against going direct to the council. No good will come of it. It will just create tension between neighbours. Fair enough if a friendly chat doesn't work, but involving a third party should never be the first step.

Years ago, when I was living in a rented house, we had a tremendously overgrown leylandii hedge (about 30ft). I'd be on to the landlord repeatedly for ages to get it cut to size but to no avail. It was bothering me, and I knew it was bothering the neighbours. One of them came to see me and I appreciated it. Another, a chap who lived next door but one, sent me a letter by recorded delivery to complain. He literally had to walk further to the post box than the distance between his front door and mine. Because of the mellow kind of chap I am, I didn't get upset about it, but I did instantly lose a lot of respect for that bloke (although I tried my best not to show that, as a matter of common courtesy). I went to speak to him to explain that I wanted the trees down as much as he did, but that it was beyond my skills to do it given the height they'd reached, and I was on at the landlord repeatedly. As we chatted, it was constantly on the back of my mind that this bloke was a bit of a wuss, and it was clearly his wife that wore the trousers in their house and he was just a figurehead 'man of the house'. We got the trees down in the end (my dad and I did it without consent of the landlord in the end), and everyone was happy. I trusted and respected my immediate neighbours, except the bloke who's first communication with me was by letter.