new home with TPOs

[HEN]

Hi there

we’re delighted to have had our offer accepted on a house so now need to do some homework. I suspect the mortgage company will want a tree survey but we’ll also want to know whether we’re going to be able to trim back these two enormous trees at the entrance to the property (left house in the pic) that block all light. They’re under TPOs. Well also need to survey to check they’re safe and not affecting drains etc. Any feedback about whether we’re likely to be able to raise the crown and thin them, would be most welcome. Totally need to this subject having never had a properly with trees before. Thanks all 

[jfc]

Hi, nice trees but will block a lot of light. A tree survey is definitely a good idea.
FYI the max recommended reduction is 25% of leaf cover, and as diameter of cut 10cm. That will severely limit how much you can reduce the trees. Unless the tree survey identifies defects which require more drastic work.
I would say you need to love having those trees, as tpo limits your options a lot.
All the best,
Jan.

[Will C]

If your request is sensible and not going to spoil the trees then yes. Get your tree team to do the application, you may get a better result - the tree officer should know them and there standard of work over the home owner who may decide to do the work to a diy standard.

 

Get two or three quotes from local tree teams by recommendation they will give you a better idea of what would be given permission in person.

[monkeybusiness]

I’d prepare yourself for living in the house with the trees exactly as they are to be honest - if you don’t like them now then there is a good chance that you will grow to dislike them further as time goes by.

Assuming they are healthy you are unlikely to get very far attempting to prune them significantly enough to alter your overall perception of them - they will always be large trees shading the front of that property. 
Drain issues are unlikely to be a reason for their removal either - more than likely any problems with the drains will be a result of badly installed drainage and can be rectified in such a way that in future the issues won’t reoccur (but putting it right can be expensive, and has to be done in such a way so as to cause the trees no harm).

I’d only buy that property if you are happy to keep it as-is - you are taking a real gamble buying it with a tpo in place and expecting to change the frontage more to your liking.

Edited May 20, 2021 by monkeybusiness

[swinny]

20 minutes ago, monkeybusiness said:

I’d prepare yourself for living in the house with the trees exactly as they are to be honest - if you don’t like them now then there is a good chance that you will grow to dislike them further as time goes by.

Assuming they are healthy you are unlikely to get very far attempting to prune them significantly enough to alter your overall perception of them - they will always be large trees shading the front of that property. 
Drain issues are unlikely to be a reason for their removal either - more than likely any problems with the drains will be a result of badly installed drainage and can be rectified in such a way that in future the issues won’t reoccur (but putting it right can be expensive, and has to be done in such a way so as to cause the trees no harm).

I’d only buy that property if you are happy to keep it as-is - you are taking a real gamble buying it with a tpo in place and expecting to change the frontage more to your liking.

Yup looks like headache on all fronts. 

 

Wouldn't touch with a barge pole personally

[Hodge]

Yup looks like headache on all fronts. 
 
Wouldn't touch with a barge pole personally

I'm sure most tree surgeons on here deal with this type of project on a regular basis, I know I do. It's surprising how many people buy a property with a TPO'd tree or tree and think that once they own the property they will be able to do as they want with the trees, and as we know this isn't the case. I take it your house is the one on the left? The trees could be thinned out or reduced but by doing that they will react and put growth on, you are starting a cycle of work that will continue for the life of the trees. As much as I love trees I wouldn't have TPO'd trees on my property.

[Mark Bolam]

Some great comments.

My mate bought a house down the road from me with a big TPO’d oak which dominates his garden.

He knew it, and happily lives with it.

 

The tree is 200+ years old.

 

His neighbours whinge like buggery about it, in their 10 year old houses.

The TO is pretty much ‘if you don’t like it, move’.

 

He won’t allow any work, it doesn’t need any.

 

I kind of agree with him.

[HEN]

Thank you all. To clarify - we love the trees so this isn’t about angling to get rid of them. 
 

All trees in that location/area  are under TPOs not just those two, and I’ve attached some of the other neighbouring trees as an example of ones that look better kept/crown lifted/thinned. I guess we need to ask the council arborist to come out and look and say whether it’s possible to do the same with the two on our possible property. 
is there such a thing as precedents for trees as there would be with building works or doesn’t it work like that? As I say, totally new to it all. 
 

appreciate all your the guidance/thoughts, thanks again. 
 

 

[HEN]

And sorry, one final question - assuming we were allowed to raise the crown and thin then, what ballpark cost would we be looking at for that so I can budget for it? Like I say, totally new to this so wouldn't know if quotes we got were reasonable or not. Thanks very much all 

[woody paul]

As its left hand properly need to lower conifers and laurel first, then get permission to work on trees. 

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by woody paul