Tree works in Lower Slaughter

Residents are concerned about tree works to the Horse Chestnut tree adjacent to The Whitmores. The note below has been received from CDC.

Dear Sir/Madam.

I am contacting you regarding resident concerns around to the pruning works being carried out on the Horse Chestnut tree adjacent to The Whitmores. Arboricultral contractors are carrying out the tree works on behalf of GCC & Ringway.

An Inspection of the tree was carried out in October 2022 in response to an enquiry from a resident of The Whitmores expressing concern with the structural integrity of the Horse chestnut tree.

As owners of this Horse Chestnut tree and in accordance with Section 154 of the Highways Act 1980 GCC have a duty of care to protect members of the public and property from harm that may occur as a result of the tree. Upon the initial inspection it was observed that the Horse Chestnut tree had some potentially weak unions of forks within the crown. This species of tree are susceptible to branch and limb failures at the point of weak forks. It was deemed prudent that the best course of action to reduce the risk to the members of public was reducing the crown of Horse Chestnut by up to three meters in order to reduce likelihood of branch or limb failure. Works will leave an even and balanced crown.

The Horse Chestnut tree is not protected by a Tree Preservation Order but it is located within the Conservation Area. Cotswold District Council were notified by way of email in November 2022 and did not object to the proposal. As statuary undertakers and in accordance with GCC tree inspection policy there is no requirement to consult with Parish councils or with members of the public regarding routine works. We do not possess the time or the financial resources to carry out consultations / notifications for non-major works.

All arboricultral contractors who GCC & Ringway employ to carry out works on their behalf are suitably trained, certificated and insured. This includes the ecological side of the job including their legal duties around nesting birds as per the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. If any nesting bird or birds are present in the trees canopy, then they Arborist Team Leader will cease all further work on site and works are suspended until such time as nesting is finished.

Kind Regards.

Andrew Morrey - Highways Trees Inspector