TPO Applications?

[kram]

I've been asked to sort out the TPO application for some oaks.

The first she just wants pruned, and I expect they will allow that, it was done 3 years ago, previous cutting points etc..

 

The second, she wants removed. Previous prune was at the same time, very small crown for its height. Its not a great example, the crown has previously been lifted high. It was covered in thick ivy, which was cut and fell off.
Being in the small back garden, I suggest its got low ameniety value.

I suggested that if she is willing to plant a small oak in a better place, they might allow it.

 

Two applications, or one?

How do you charge for it?

If my name is on the forms, are planning going to be chasing me if she gets somone else and they do a bad job?

[Mick Dempsey]

iirc, and I’m happy to be wrong.

For many TOs 3 years is too short a timeframe for a re-reduction of a tree.

You’d have to provide a convincing argument for a removal, not just that you’ll plant another.

 

Charge her a hundred quid or so for your time and say you’ll knock it off if she hires you to do the work

 

You will have no responsibility and they won’t chase you if someone else butchers it.

Edited Saturday at 15:41 by Mick Dempsey

[rapalaman]

As Mick says.

Oaks are usually longer gaps between reductions. We would normally say 5-7 in urban settings, longer depending on proximity to buildings. We have one however that we do every 3 years as by then it’s touching the neighbours gutters. Typical new build estate where the houses are crammed in as close as possible around existing trees. Usual is somewhere between 2 and 3.5m off - lots of varying factors

[Dan Maynard]

Definitely TPO and not conservation area? Customers often mix these up ime so you need to check yourself. If just conservation area then low amenity value is important and they may allow removal. On the other hand, if it's already got a TPO then it's been deemed to have amenity value as part of that assessment, so it's too late to start saying it has none. 

 

As Mick says they're unlikely to allow removal unless it's defective. There's an estate near us built on what was originally farmland where they TPO'd every decent tree before packing in the houses, so you can plot the decline of the large lime and sycamores over the last 15 years from the TPO applications. My customer has a huge sycamore in a tiny garden, which she and her neighbours all hate due to constantly having to pull up seedlings, needs re-reducing every 3 years to keep it off buildings as the rot pockets get bigger, but they won't let her remove it. Eventually it'll fall to bits but she'll probably have moved by then.