Magnolia House Friars Green Exeter EX2 4DB

Proposal

Two magnolia trees to be subject to work. Viewed facing the front of the house the trees are at the extreme left and right ends of the facade. Each tree stands no more than 500mm from the wall of the house. Both trees have been subject to crown reduction previously permitted 1/3/2016. 1. Tree number 1 to the left, at the SW corner of the house, to be reduced again exactly as before, removing up to 4m from branches and lowering the main growth point by about a metre. Reduction is required to allow light to two windows, prevent regrowth beyond height of roof pediment (maintenance and aesthetic concerns to listed building) and to curtail overall growth of the tree in order to restrict danger of root growth under the house. 2. Tree number 2, to the right, close to the boundary with Lawn House, is to be removed. Despite crown reduction in 2016 and regular minor maintenance this tree has continued to project roots under the front of the (grade 2 listed) house. In order to protect the fabric of the house it has been necessary to truncate and extract large roots found extending under the building during remedial works earlier this year. To prevent recurrence we need (regretfully) to remove the tree. Note for convenience of planning dept: Previous application to reduce the trees permitted 1/3/2016 16/0219/06. Decision was then not to make a TPO. Additional info: Applicants have been informally advised by National Trust staff at Killerton (where identical Magnolia Grandiflora is grown against the house) that these plants should only be grown as large shrubs in this type of situation and replaced at 15 years old. They were surprised that these examples have been allowed to reach maturity so close to a listed structure. A positive mitigation for removing tree 2, is previous planting of a cherry tree a few metres in front of it, closer to the public highway. This additional tree has now reached a similar scale to the magnolia it is proposed to replace.