Of Trees and Fighting

Tonight was going to be a nice blog post about how well the second Hanami is doing (onto the final cherry blossom chart now), and how much I'm looking forward to going to a knitting group for the first time ever tomorrow evening (it's at Borders in Gateshead - I'll give it a go, as they do have a great range of knitterly books and magazines, so even if I find it's not "me" I can go for a browse). However, I'm in a right paddywhack and all over three lime trees.

We live on a modern (about 25 year old) estate. And I've been here for 12 years or so. I like the area. One of the reasons I bought the house, is that while we both love the country, Jon doesn't drive, so being on good bus routes is a bonus - however the estate has loads of street trees around, which enhance the visual aspect. We're 20 minutes or so from the Toon by bus, about half an hour from the coast, and a short walk from local nature reserves at Sugley Dene, The Brickworks, Percy Pit, and Newburn Riverside Country Park. It's convenient, it's nice, and considering how some estates can end up as soul-less MacMansion collections, I find the trees break it up and make it appear more homely.

We have a small carpark in front of our house, for the use of the four houses in our block (if you imagine a big square, flat on the ground, we each have a quarter square of that). Until earlier this year, there were 6 mature lime trees along the side, adjacent to another house's garden. Earlier this year, the people who had lived there 12 months had a conservatory erected, all UPVC, and but for the trees, uncomfortably visible from our upstairs. They then had three of the trees cut down by the council, on the grounds that they were blocking out their light. It was a done deal - no consultation, or anything - and we were promised that no further trees would be cut. By the way - under English Law, no-one has a right to light per se - there are cases when the erection of a new structure can interfere with your light, but these trees to my knowledge had been here for 9 years longer than these folks, so they hardly sprung up overnight.

Today, Jon rang me at work, distressed to his wits end. He's prone to stress and has suffered its effects in the past. Apparently, the council were back and had an order to cut down the trees at the request of the same neighbours. Again - no consultation or anything - just what they want, they get. I told Jon to call our local councillor, who's a complete star - 100% for the area, and has so much time for everyone, I don't know where he gets it from, while I called the council. When I got through to the right person, I was lovely and polite, with my very best Bury Grammar Girl tones (Thank You Miss Batty for insisting we learned how to speak without the Lanky accent - even though I only ever get the elocution out for "posh" - normally I'm broader than a very broad thing). He explained the request was because of property damage (or its potential). So I asked him to not cut the trees down, as we think they contribute to the area.

So the work is stopped for now - we now need to try and get a TPO placed on these trees. Apparently Neighbour is threatening to "take" the council. So we need to hurry. And find out more about Lime Trees (lots of cases of applications for felling on the same grounds being turned down - but only where there's a TPO). And Tree Preservation Orders. And living with awkward wotsits. I think it's less of the "property damage" - there are loads of these trees closer to houses on the estate, and nobody's house appears to be falling down yet - and more what I heard a muttering about last weekend - which was what a pain it is when the leaves fall off, and what a mess they make.

I feel sometimes that this is trivial, but then, how many more trees need to be taken down one by one until we all live in Concretia? I know they can be a pain, but they're a feature of the estate. Don't buy a house next to a sewage farm if you don't like the smell - and don't buy one next to 6 mature trees, unless you're prepared to sweep!

That's enough for now - I need to do lots of stress-busting knitting now to calm myself down a tad. I'll be fine - just wrong woman, wrong day.