Senlac Road tree
Despite the best efforts of our Tree Services team, we have unfortunately been left with no option but to remove a London Plane tree on Senlac Road which has been implicated in subsidence of a nearby property.
We will be planting 17 new street trees on Senlac Road and nearby roads to compensate for the loss of this tree, in partnership with Street Trees for Living.
We know many residents are understandably concerned about the removal of this tree. We want to provide clarity about why this is happening, the steps we have taken to try to avoid this outcome and what we will be doing to compensate for the tree’s removal.
Why is this tree being removed?
The tree in question has been implicated in subsidence of a nearby property on Senlac Road.
As a local authority, we have a legal duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent damage occurring to a third party’s property. Failing to remove the tree would go against the professional advice given by our insurers and could lead to the Council incurring considerable costs as a result.
At a time when we are facing significant financial pressures due to funding cuts from central government, we have a responsibility to minimise financial risks and additional costs, so that we can continue to fund vital local services, such as street cleaning, parks and libraries.
What alternatives have been explored?
Since a report of subsidence by the property owner in 2011, we have explored all possible options for retaining the tree in Senlac Road.
After a detailed study, we cut back its branches and leaves by 50% in 2012, 2015 and 2019 to significantly reduce the amount of moisture it needed.
We also investigated the possibility of introducing barriers to stem the spread of the tree’s roots. This was ruled out as there was not enough room between the tree trunk and the property wall to fit a root barrier and it would only have provided a temporary solution.
As these mitigation measures have failed to prevent further subsidence, we have been left with no option but to remove the tree.
What measures will be put in place to compensate for the loss of the tree?
We will be planting 17 new street trees on Senlac Road and nearby roads to compensate for the loss of this tree, in partnership with Street Trees for Living. These trees will be planted in the current planting season (October 2022 to March 2023).
As well as creating a greener and more pleasant environment, these new trees will help encourage wildlife, reduce temperatures and flood risk and help improve air quality in the long term.
Throughout their lifetime, these trees will store more than 38,000 kg of carbon, helping compensate for the loss of the existing tree. At maturity, these trees can provide a potential combined canopy cover with a spread of up to 124 metres, significantly exceeding the canopy cover of the London Plane Tree at a potential of 18-21 metres.
Residents can apply for additional street trees to be planted on their road through Street Trees for Living.
How can the Council be sure that the tree is the cause of subsidence?
Extensive investigations have been carried out by independent specialists appointed by the Council to assess the claims made. These investigations and examination of the evidence have confirmed that the tree in question is the cause of the subsidence at the property.
Will these new trees cause similar problems for other properties on the street?
No – when selecting new street trees for planting, we consider a variety of factors to ensure the tree does not have a negative impact on residents or the surrounding neighbourhood. This includes consideration of factors such as root growth and ultimate size of the tree, in order to avoid issues like subsidence or damage to properties. Our ‘right tree, right place’ approach ensures we can continue planting more street trees without creating additional problems further down the line.
Will the removal of this tree set a precedent for future cases?
No – all trees are assessed on a case-by-case basis. When there is an issue relating to a tree, we will explore all options to avoid the removal of a tree and this will always be a last resort.
How will the new trees be cared for?
A number of residents of Senlac Road and Exford Road have volunteered to be ‘Tree Guardians’ for these new trees. They will water the new trees once planted until the trees’ roots have become established and will report any tree-related issues back to Street Trees for Living.
We are lucky to have a number of volunteer Tree Guardians across the borough who work alongside Streets for Living and our Tree Services team to help support and maintain our street trees. In the context of significant cuts to local authority budgets in recent years, this support from residents makes a huge difference when it comes to maintaining our street trees, tackling the Climate Emergency and creating a Greener Lewisham.
What other steps is Lewisham Council taking to plant more trees and tackle the Climate Emergency?
We remain committed to planting new trees across Lewisham, as part of our mission to tackle the Climate Emergency and become carbon neutral by 2030. Since 2018, we have planted over 730 streets trees across the borough, in addition to 24,000 tree whips at Beckenham Place Park.
We have also switched over to 100% renewable energy in all Council buildings, delivered important energy efficiency upgrades to our housing stock; upgraded our waste and recycling fleet to comply with the highest standards of emissions; and installed over 100 bike hangars and more than 100 electric vehicle charging points across the borough.
Find out more about our work to tackle the Climate Emergency.