'Uprooting my Acer is daft' says bemused homeowner

A resident who planted a 3.7m (12ft) tree outside his property has denounced plans to uproot it as "daft".

Jim Dann and his partner Alan Gibbons said they planted the Acer campestre tree in February 2024 outside their new-build property on Jessup Road in Watton, Norfolk, with the permission of developers Barratt Homes.

But the tree was not included in the site plans, which need to be signed off by Norfolk County Council, so it now needs to be removed and replanted.

A Norfolk County Council spokesperson said: "We are happy for the trees to remain if appropriately accounted for in the legal transfer of the site and this matter is for the developer to resolve with residents."

According to the Woodland Trust, an Acer campestre tree, commonly known as a field maple, can grow up to 20m (65ft) and live for up to 350 years.

Dann wanted a tree outside his house, believing it would enhance the street.

He asked the development site manager and site agent if he could plant one, or if Barratt Homes could find one for him.

He ended up making a request to plant his own tree, which he said the developers agreed to.

Dann said his neighbours liked the idea so much, they planted their own tree a month later.

He said: "Because it's not on their [Barratt Homes] plan, they will remove the tree on our behalf and replant the tree at another location and would refund us the initial cost of £240.

"It's daft - we've even had local councillors out to look at the trees in question. It's silliness. It's red-tape bureaucracy."

He said his neighbours also had not understood why the tree needed to be removed.

Dann said: "I know there's certain conditions with the agreement we signed in connection with the property, there are certain rules there to be followed because [otherwise] people will then do their own thing and you'll have monstrosities — this is not a monstrosity, it is a simple tree."

A spokesperson for Barratt Homes Anglia said: "Health and safety is our top priority, and we have been advised by Norfolk County Council during an inspection that the trees do not form part of the approved scheme and, once fully grown, could pose a risk to the public highway both in terms of safety and maintenance, so they cannot stay where they are.

"But to try and help resolve the issue, we have offered to cover the cost of relocating and replanting the trees so they can continue to grow, to reinstate the verge and make a £500 donation to a charity of the resident's choice.

"We are yet to hear from the resident on our proposal."

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