8 Oldfield Mews, Hornsey, London, N6 5XA

Proposal

This application is being filed for the consent to remove the robust Bay Tree (marked '1. Bay Tree' on the '8 Oldfield Mews Tree location.jpg') in the front garden of 8 Oldfield Mews, directly adjacent to the external wall of the property. We have attached the title plan with the approximate location of the tree marked. The tree has reached height over two and half storeys and has caused concern to the building structure, as outlined below: 1. Photographic evidence shows substantial ivy and woody vegetative growth to the masonry planter that abuts the front elevation of the property. 2. Damp has been reported by the tenant to a number of locations at the external wall adjacent to the tree. This issue has been present for the last 3 years, with past remedial works providing only temporary mitigation of the issue. Evidence of water ingress and staining is present to the internal linings to the front elevation. The vegetative growth is likely a contributing factor, with root structures causing damage to mortar joints and holding moisture against the external wall, and as further damp remedial work and internal redecoration are planned, felling the tree alongside these works would be advisable. 3. In addition to the damp, vegetation proximity to the property structures is a concern, with roots already causing visible cracking and bulging to the retaining planter wall so that further deterioration could lead to failure. The uPVC downpipe and guttering have also been displaced by stem growth. The extensive root systems could also lead to settlement and put further pressure on foundations. As far as we know, the tree isn’t protected by a TPO, and therefore we are requesting for its full removal by tree surgeon, due to its potential to compromise the structural integrity of the property's foundations and mitigate the damp issues at the ground floor level.