A GRANDAD has been caught in a row with the council over a massive tree that is blocking the light from his property.
Doug Lewis, 69, is angry with the council for not maintaining the tree that “towers” over his home and makes it difficult for his disabled grandson to visit him.
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Mr Lewis from Cramlington, Northumberland, has lived in his property for almost 40 years.
The resident said when he first moved in the tree was only small, but is now so large that in the summer he only gets one hour of sunshine a day.
Light is not the only issue, the large tree also makes access to the house difficult for his for his grandson, who is in a wheelchair.
Mr Lewis’ daughter has a mobility car with a ramp for his grandson’s wheelchair and the tree’s roots have previously pushed up the path making it wobbly.
He says fallen twigs and leaves also make it a “struggle” for the wheelchair on the path.
Mr Lewis says he has spent the last three years urging Northumberland Council to cut back the huge Ash tree.
“The main issue is the tree canopy and the lack of light to the property,” Mr Lewis said.
“When I moved here it was a nice little tree but no one has maintained it over those 40 years so it has just been getting bigger and bigger and now it is just towering over the property.
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“When you are in the house the branches are nearly touching the bedroom window.
“There are no leaves on the tree at the moment but when it is in leaf we have about a one-hour window of sun.
“The sun comes around the house at about 12pm and we started to get a little bit of sunlight in the house but within an hour it goes back behind the tree.
“The leaves and branches also make the path look unsightly.
“The roots come up through the lawn and the garden and have even pushed up through the tarmac path.”
Mr Lewis said that the council did come and smooth the path over when the root appeared three years ago, but that has not solved the problem.
“My grandson is disabled and my daughter has got a mobility car with a ramp for his electric wheelchair,” he said.
“The tree root was pushing the path up making it wobbly. The council didn’t remove the tree root they just flattened the path.”
Mr Lewis is calling on the council to cut the tree back significantly.
He added: “There should be a 30 per cent reduction in the tree canopy but we have been told it is a ‘priority three’ by the council which means there is no time scale for it to be done.”
He continued: “You work all of your life and want to be able to enjoy your retirement but you have this massive tree towering over your property and your life.”
Northumberland County Council said it has to prioritise work on trees that pose the most risk to the public and said Mr Lewis’ tree was a low priority as a result. However, it said it would carry out work on the tree in due course.
A council spokeswoman said: “Our risk-based approach to tree works means we must attend first and foremost to trees that represent a current or developing public safety risk.
“We are aware of the tree in question and the requests from Mr Lewis. Works have been identified and these will be carried out according to our schedule of lower-priority works.”
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