Application to address structural damage, safety, and access issues caused by a protected oak tree, impacting driveway and accessibility for a Blue Badge holder.

Full Proposal

This application is made on new and materially different grounds to the previous refusal, which related to visual amenity and loss of natural light. This submission does not seek to revisit amenity considerations. Instead, it focuses on structural damage, safety, access constraints, and accessibility needs, supported by a professional arboricultural assessment. The protected oak is causing ongoing root-related damage, including lifting of paving, cracking of the driveway surface, and deterioration of the front boundary wall. Root spread beneath the driveway also presents a credible risk to underground drainage infrastructure. There are potential early signs of cracking to neighbouring hardstanding and masonry that may be attributable to root movement. The tree materially restricts safe access to and from the driveway, reducing visibility onto the public highway and constraining vehicle manoeuvring. It also prevents reasonable repair, redesign, or improvement of the driveway, including the provision of a simple sloped or accessible access arrangement. In addition, the narrow space between the tree and parked vehicles creates a risk of kerb mounting or collision from larger vehicles accessing the nearby paper mill. The applicant is a registered Blue Badge holder with mobility limitations arising from cancer-related surgery and requires safe, direct, and reliable access to the property, including the ability to park close to the entrance and reach toilet facilities promptly. The existing root damage, combined with planning restrictions linked to the tree, has a disproportionate impact on the applicant?s ability to safely and reasonably use the dwelling. Retaining the tree in its current position would likely require multiple future planning, engineering, and arboricultural applications for even minor domestic accessibility works, which would be unreasonable and disproportionate. HAR/CA7, TPO 280E.

Application Timeline

Application Registered

19/01/2026

Application Validated

19/01/2026

Target Decision Date

16/03/2026

Committee Date

N/A

Decision Made

N/A

Decision Issued

N/A