Distance a Tree Can be safely growing to a house

[Anno]

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The following list was produced by the ABI (Association of British Insurers) but it is very important to note that this is only a rough guide as every single tree situation is different, there...

Lots of stuff like the above, but nothing 100% accurate...

 

[Dan27]

25 minutes ago, Anno said:

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CLARKEWILLIAMSINSURANCEBROKERS.CO.UK

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The following list was produced by the ABI (Association of British Insurers) but it is very important to note that this is only a rough guide as every single tree situation is different, there...

Lots of stuff like the above, but nothing 100% accurate...

 

Thanks for this link. I will look into it further. Unsure if the council will consider information from insurance companies as being reputable. 

I can't see Tulip Trees on the specific list but from looking at what is on the list - it is likely the tree would be considered too close for safety. 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Dan27

[difflock]

Move to somewhere covered in concrete, near a Heathrow runway perhaps.

Marcus

[MattyF]

Who in there right mind would build a house next to a massive tree? They obviously cut through a lot of roots to set the foundation. The first thing you would do is cut the tree down then build the house.

This is the problem with our industry , turkeys like you with opinions on things you know nothing on but presume you do posing as professionals .. do you have any arboricultural qualifications that are relevant to answering this question or is that just your brain farting.

[Khriss]

No. There are plenty of reasons to retain trees near housing. Plenty of engineering methods to ensure trees will be safe and healthy, this should have been covered by the  building developer ( not saying it has - mind) at the planning stage. If yr sons health is compromised it could be considered a 'nuisance'  legally. But then its lawyers etc, it will depend really on yr TO and how sympathetic they are. Possibly yr neighbours might be glad to see it go also. A tree report then a quiet word might work wonders but as there is no other detail included, its conjecture.  K

[Khriss]

46 minutes ago, difflock said:

Move to somewhere covered in concrete, near a Heathrow runway perhaps.

Marcus

Loads of trees around there!  K

[Dan27]

1 hour ago, difflock said:

Move to somewhere covered in concrete, near a Heathrow runway perhaps.

Marcus

Thanks for the input

[Paul in the woods]

1 hour ago, difflock said:

Move to somewhere covered in concrete, near a Heathrow runway perhaps.

Marcus

That's rather harsh. I've lived in the country most of my life but that doesn't stop me from having an allergy to silver birch (discovered when living in a town with a silver birch planted stupidly close to the house!). Hasn't stopped me buying a packet of birch seeds though.

 

Anyway, to the OP, this may have been covered in your other thread but I thought tulip trees are low allegen? Does you son only have symptoms when it's in flower or all year round? Have you tried air filters in the room at all? Tried asking on a US forum where the trees originate?

 

Before I splashed out on tree reports and cost of felling I would try and discount other possibilities. Are there more cats in that area for example, is the house more dusty etc, etc.

 

 

[Wonky]

And just to add..., keep the window closed for some of the time and or a fan or dehumidifier  with a pollen filter. It maybe an arse but it will help to find it it helps or not. And hopefully in the long run it will help with the evidence you need..

 

Or another way that may be a forward to help you is, evidence of problems and times... and if you can get your son to sleep somewhere else, ie in your room. 
 

i,m just thinking of all the ways. So you have the proof you need..

[Chris at eden]

5 hours ago, Dan27 said:

Hello,

I have previously made a post about th Tulip tree that I have in my garden.

 

I am looking to have the tree removed as I believe it is having adverse health on my 4 yr old son's breathing. 

It is believe he is asthmatic and he suffers with allergens. 

The tree is very close to his bedroom window.

The LPA won't allow felling for allergens and you would probably lose on appeal as well.  I had an application a few years ago when working as a tree officer for a LPA which was similar.  Resident was allergic to the Birch in her garden.  Even got a doctors letter to support the application.  I refused the app on the basis that hay fever is a natural hazard and that there were other trees in the area so it wouldn't resolve the issue.  It would be unsustainable to fell tree due to allergens.  I wasn't sure how it would go on appeal but the PINS inspector dismissed the appeal and was pretty scathing in his assessment of the applicant.      

5 hours ago, Dan27 said:

 

The tree itself is about 50-60ft in height and I anticipate it is about 40-50 years old based on what i have been told so far.

My house was buily in the mid 90's - so at the time time this tree would have been about 20-30 years of age ( this is all approximate) and a much smaller size.

It doesn't matter how big the tree was when the house was built.  LPAs are meant to consider ultimate height when determining applications.  Pressure for future tree removals, nuisance, etc.  

5 hours ago, Dan27 said:

 

My question is, is there any guidance / law which determines how safe a tree is when so close to a home?

Proximity to the house is a different issue to safety.  Occupiers Liability (1957 and 1984 - i think) is the main law for tree safety.  Proximity to buildings comes from BS5837:2012.  Assuming your tree will grow to have a stem diameter of >600mm it should be planted at least 1.2m from the house.  This is to prevent direct damage from contact.  Subsidence risk should be low as the tree predates the house and so foundations should have been specified with the tree and site conditions in mind.    

5 hours ago, Dan27 said:

 

The trunk of this tree is about 3 metres ( 9 feet) away from my back door. The canopy of the tree overhangs my house.

As above.  Pruning may be an option if the tree canopy is close to the building.   

5 hours ago, Dan27 said:

 

 

I've read online that mature trees should be 15ft - 20 ft away to grow safely - but I can't see any actual official guidance in regards to this.

That is because there isn't any.  Its nonsense propagated by insurance companies trying to get out of paying claims.  Next time an insurance company ask you a question like that, ask them where the figures come from and listen to them waffle and glaze over.    

5 hours ago, Dan27 said:

 

The tree is covered by an area TPO that was granted in 1990 when the application to build my home was submitted. 

Standard practice, they have a legal duty to protect trees in the face of development - S197 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 - i.e. there is a law for that.  The area designation isn't great but there is no question that your tree wasn't there at the time so they are covered.   

5 hours ago, Dan27 said:

 

I believe the council are hesitant to let me remove the tree on the sole basis that it is affecting the health of my son - which to me is ludicrous. 

So, I was wondering if there is any other angle I can approach this to help my application?

 

Many Thanks,

You could potentially argue that the issues you face outweigh the visual amenity.  you would need to do an amenity assessment and report that looks at all the issue.  not just one angle.