New house with huge trees

chriz1

So I'm buying s new build from one of the big developers, but about 8 meters from the back door is a few huge trees 30ft high, at the moment they say they can't touch them as the local authority has said they can't be touched only lower branches trimmed,
Just wondering where I stand when I take over the house as the new owner can I start sharpening my chainsaw ready?
Made me laugh a bit because in their welcome pack it states you should never plant a tree three quarters it's height in distance from your property?! Buts it's ok for them to build a house to one :mad:

Yorkie1

1. Whose land are they on?

2. Have you checked the council's website to see whether there is a Tree Preservation Order on any of them?

I_have_spoken

8m is borderline IMHO and could be a cause of problems.

Few things to check

+ Are you on clay soil, that increases chance of subsidence?
+ Have you had a quote for insurance after notifying them of the tree?
+ Will all costs for future maintenance fall to you - tree surgeons charge £££s
+ Will the tree create unwelcome shade across garden or block light to windows?
+ Had the builder deepened foundations and/or added a root barrier
+ Are the drains running well away from the tree
+ Is there already a TPO in place

chriz1

Going off the plans it looks like they are smack bang in the boundary line of my plot and a council owned house behind them,
No tpo that I can see

Mojisola

chriz1 wrote: »

Buts it's ok for them to build a house to one :mad:

But you don't have to buy it.

chriz1

A tree won't stop me buying my dream home

ging84

if it's not on your land or there is a tree preservation order on it, cutting it down without permission could lead to a large fine and criminal conviction

googler

You need to check with the council for TPOs

You need to check whether or not the trees form part of the landscaping scheme submitted to the council as part of planning process for the development, and whether or not this specifies that they should remain untouched. We've seen posts on here before where new owners have been bound by the terms of the landscaping scheme approved by the council.

If they're rooted in the neighbour's ground, you can cut them where they overhang your property, but you'll have to ensure you don't take off so much as to destabilise the tree.

Davesnave

So there's no TPO, but the developer can't touch them?

It sounds like they are in the overall landscaping scheme for the development as a preserved hedgerow. If they are, planning would have been granted with their retention as a condition.

They are 'smack bang on the boundary.' So, who owns that boundary? Whoever it is will own the trees. If it's a council owned house behind, they could belong to the council.

Better find out. After all, that's something you would do anyway, isn't it?

namecheck

Developers generally don't like getting involved with tree issues, if they can avoid it.

It costs them time and money to speak to the local authority - and all they want to do is build, and take the money. They often tell purchasers to apply for permission to lop branches/remove a tree when they have bought the house.

However, I would be wary of buying a property with a tree quite close. Insurers are now getting fussy over trees.

Also, LA's vary in their attitude - in my area I know of three fairly recent applications dealt with by the same "tree man".

One was rejected outright, one was allowed to lop a few branches, one was able to remove the entire tree. And it is very difficult to understand the reasoning behind the decisions.

robatwork

Is this a steeply sloping plot?