South Devon Healthcare Torbay Hospital Newton Road Torquay TQ2 7AA

Proposal

Area between Brookside & The Horizon Centre; As per recommendation from Tree condition & Risk Assessment Report, dated 19th June 2018 T1 - English Oak - Part reduce low laterial branch on the south side of the tree by approximately x5 metres from branch tips. T3,T4 & T5 - English Oak - Crown reduce overall removing approximately x3 metres from branch tips while retaining the main framework of the crown & therefore a high proportion of the foliage bearing structure. All pruning cuts to be made at suitable growth points. T3 - Part reduce primary branch growing on the northern side of tree over car parking area by a further x2 metres to further reduce risk of failure. Remove all cut material from site. Reasons for proposed works are; Six oak trees at Torbay Hospital, identified as T1 to T6 have been inspected and assessed for their condition and associated risk. The trees are located in open space and have had car parking imposed beneath them. One oak (TI) has recently shed a large limb without warning or discernible reason onto a grassed area open to the public, possibly due to Sudden Branch Drop (SBD). Three of the oak trees are affected by the decay causing fungus lnonotus dryadeus. One of these oaks has been pollarded due to the failure of a major limb relatively recently, but the remaining two (T3 and T4) display extensive decay of their roots and base. Despite the decay, the oaks (except T2) have good vitality. Due to their decayed bases, there is a possibility that T3 and T4 could undergo whole tree failure and damage multiple parked cars, or even harm pedestrians. The tree report produced a figure of risk of 1/30,000 for such an event using the Quantified Tree Risk Assessment system. It is not possible to produce a figure of risk for sudden, unexplained branch shedding (SBD). This report makes recommendations for works to reduce the risk of damage to parked vehicles, and also to reduce the potential for further sudden branch loss from the oak t...