10 Lawn Crescent Richmond TW9 3NR

Proposal

There is a single magnolia tree at the back of our small garden, 5 ft from the rear boundary fence. The base is split at ground level into two trunks, both growing at an angle of approximately 60 degrees rearwards, having been deprived of light by a cherry tree in the garden next-door on the right (which died last year and has now been removed). One trunk curves back round to grow forwards and upwards. The other divides into two branches: one growing vertically and one growing horizontally backwards, further accentuating the rearwards growth of the tree. We would like to remove this latter horizontal, rearward-growing branch, to encourage the vertical and forwards growth of the tree and inhibit its rearwards growth. This would improve the aesthetic appearance of the tree, which currently looks unbalanced and as if it has been blown over. It would also prevent the weight of the rearward branch eventually causing the tree to collapse onto the rear boundary fence, the neighbour's shed behind the fence, and our own shed between the tree and the fence.