30 Bourke Close London SW4 8ER

Proposal

Clapham Park TPO No. 456 (Area Order) 15 April 2008. Tree Works Submitted: The trees proposed for removal are a Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) (labelled T1 on the sketch plan) and an Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) (labelled T2 on the sketch plan), both species known for their high water demand. We seek consent for the complete removal of both trees. This work is critical because the trees have been identified in the attached structural report as the likely cause of damage to the rear bay window of the property due to their close proximity to the property - the trees are causing movement to the bay which has caused the cracks shown in the images attached to this application. We have been advised that we will need to reconstruct the bay window due to this damage and will need to remove the trees to ensure damage does not occur to the repaired bay. The report confirms the property is constructed on clay, a material highly susceptible to the action of tree roots. In addition, the evergreen nature of the Holm Oak causes dense, year-round shading which has prevented anything else from growing in the garden, severely limiting its ecological diversity and severely limiting light in the property itself. There is also high prevalence of Ash Dieback locally, making the removal of the Ash tree identified in the structural report of further benefit as a preventative measure. Regarding a second Ash tree (labelled T3 on the sketch plan) also located in the garden, we would welcome the council's guidance on whether this should also be removed at this stage as part of a proactive management plan to mitigate against the spread of Ash Dieback (and prevent future further damage to the property). Furthermore, the location and root structure of the trees are actively causing destabilisation of the boundary wall between number 29 and 30 properties.