Walsall father's £4k bill for chopping down tree in own back garden

Ian Morris, 57, paid a tree surgeon to hack down the tree in the garden of his £490,000 home in Woodfield Close, Walsall despite being told there was a Tree Preservation Order in place when he bought the property four years ago.

He claimed that he saw a neighbour having similar trees cut down, and hastily opted to follow suit, forgetting about the regulations in place.

Morris has since had a conservatory built where the tree used to be.

Prosecutor Kerry Munro, for Walsall Council, told Wolverhampton Magistrates Court: "A Tree Preservation Order was made in 1972 on several trees in that area.

"On March 24, 2015, officers from the council attended the address and spoke to Mr Morris.

"He told them he had received reports that a neighbour was doing work to trees. They requested access to the rear of the property. The tree was no longer there but by an area of shrubs there appeared to be a stump where the tree used to be.

"He told them he needed to have the tree cut down because he was nervous about its close proximity to the house, and its leaves were causing drainage problems. He said it was blocking their view.

"Officers looked at Google Street View records from 2011 and the tree could be clearly seen.

"He bought the house for £490,000 in 2012. He has since had a conservatory built in the area where the tree was so it can't be replanted. The conservatory will have added considerable value to his house."

She also said that the elderly neighbour who had trees cut down in his garden was not pursued by the council due to his personal circumstances.

Morris pleaded guilty to causing a contravention of tree preservation regulations by wilfully destroying a tree.

Defence solicitor Chris Loach said: "It must be noted that a neighbour had two trees cut down.

"He had them cut down in haste. It was naive of him not to check the status of the Tree Preservation Order and apply for planning permission to cut it down.

"This wasn't done directly to build the conservatory, it was done because of the drainage issues. He was told by the tree surgeon that simply trimming it back wouldn't have solved the problems.

"He has no previous convictions. He has a wife and two children. His children are both dependent on him. His son is in full time education and his daughter was in a near fatal car accident last year."

Magistrates fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £1,534 in court costs. He was also told to pay a £120 victim surcharge.