FAMILIES in a residential street say that they live in darkness and have to shell out £1,000 a year as the council’s trees block their windows.
Residents of the street in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, say that the plants have grown out of control and are calling on the local authority to cut them back.
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They also claim that that the sap from the lime trees damages their cars and clogs their drains, while the roots have cracked the pavement, leading to fears of structural damage to homes.
David Leese, 67, and his wife Christina, 68, say that the issue has been a “pain” for two decades, and have organised a petition demanding the council take action.
David told the Stoke Sentinel: “The trees have damaged the car and the sap takes the paint off. It is costing us money all the time. We have to have the guttering cleaned three or four times a year.
“The council is not doing anything at all. Branches have hit our motorhome and the car.
“A councillor told us it would cost £2.25 million to take all the trees out. We asked an independent tree surgeon who said it would cost £1,000 a tree.
“We have offered to pay for the tree outside our house to be cut down and the council have said you cannot do that.”
He claimed that councillors don’t realise how large the trees have grown and are refusing to take them down.
David added: “We believe the tree is costing us £1,500 to £2,000 a year. It has just shot up in the last 20 years. They can grow for hundreds of years.
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“Every season has its own problems. We get insects, then flies. We know the roots are under our property. We like trees and we have offered to plant a new tree which is more appropriate.”
Fellow residents Martin, 62 and Sue Jones, 70, have lived in the street for 40 years and agree that the trees are a real problem.
Martin said: “They were really small when we moved in. They are now massively out of control.
“We get no light. Our gutters have to be cleaned two or three times a year. The lime tree has smashed the water pipe. We are worried the roots could damage the structure of the house.
“They are the wrong tree for this road. They chose the wrong species of tree. We had to have the wall rebuilt last year.”
Sue added that the pavement is “dangerous” and the trees are “too big”, saying that the lack of light is “a nightmare.”
David Williams, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said the petition will be considered and encouraged locals to report any issues.
He said: “People with concerns about trees or any other issue affecting the roads or pavements can report them on the MyStaffs App or at www.staffordshire.gov.uk.
“All highways reports are investigated by an inspector and any work or action is scheduled as appropriate.
“We will of course consider the petition and the points raised within it when we receive it.”
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