A ‘giant’ tree on a Keswick street has been saved from the axe despite neighbour concerns about safety and damage.
The mature birch tree in the grounds of a hotel on Acorn Street now has special protection after Lake District National Park Authority members confirmed an order made earlier this year.
The single birch will remain subject to a tree preservation order (TPO) without modification – despite calls for it to be cut down because of the problems it has caused.
The order prevents any cutting down, topping, lopping or uprooting or any wilful damage of any kind to the tree.
But it also means concerns of some neighbours may have to go unresolved for the time being.
Notice was given in March that the tree – in the town’s conservation area – might be felled but Keswick Town Council and the national park opposed any move to lose it.
Neighbours had said it needed to be removed and opposed the TPO after outlining a range of concerns to the national park about its “increasing” size.
They warned that it had “outgrown its space” and was causing problems with fears its roots have grown under a wall and driveway.
They said: “We have had concerns about the size of this tree for some years. It is far too close to our property and has caused us quite a few problems.
“It’s branches hang over our drive and house, leaves block our drains and guttering which has led us to having dripping water which has caused windows to rot and we now need to replace them.
“I do think it needs to be removed for safety reasons as it grows so quickly.”
But national park officials said a tree preservation order was required because the risks had not been evidenced which would make it unreasonable to justify removal.
Planners said the tree made an important contribution to Acorn Street which had very little other vegetation and contributed positively to the street scene and the character of the conservation area.
Cllr Steve Harwood, who leads the planning group on Keswick Town Council, said it had recommended that the tree be protected as it was felt that it was sufficiently far enough away from properties not to cause problems.
“The national park authority has supported our recommendation and we feel it is important to keep trees wherever possible in this location.
“We are quite pleased this has been upheld because increasingly applications are coming in for trees to be cut or felled in the Keswick area.
Cllr Harwood said if there were continued concerns about the tree, the issues needed to be raised with a tree surgeon.
