A notification has been submitted for work on trees in the conservation area. The proposal is to fell the two large lime trees to the south of 17 Cumin Place, which can be seen to the right of the 20mph sign in this streetview. The Grange Association’s tree expert has sent this email to the Council’s Arboricultural Officers raising concerns about the proposal. It points out that these are the only trees of their age or size on Cumin Place and that they are an important feature of the streetscape.

Details of the proposals are available from the Council's planning portal at 20/02749/TCO. They include this indicative plan and visualisation of the wider proposals for the site. Notifications for tree work do not admit comments from the public, but we do on occasions contact the Arboricultural Officers if there is material concern expressed by our members. Applicants are required to give six weeks’ notice which, in this case, expires on 17 August 2020. In the absence of the Council deciding to make a Tree Preservation Order by that date, the work can proceed thereafter.

Details of all tree work notifications in the Grange area are available from our pages here.

We live across the back wall of 17 Cumin Place (in Lauder Road). These are not the only trees they propose to fell or have felled in order to totally sanitise and redesign their whole garden taking no account of what was is there already. It is most distressing. Four apple trees have now gone and this week a substantial Silver Birch which used to overhang our garden and was a delightful part of our environment has been felled (we knoew nothing about it, but now find they did submit the work to the Council who saw no reason to issue a TPO.)
The Lime trees are even more vital now that the other large tree and smaller ones have gone. Incidentally no 19 is a vacant plot with only a gargae at present (and long standing outline planning permission for a dwelling) which is part of the overall property with 17 Cumin. The wall behind the lime trees is not any sort of practical boundary. The only reason that the roots arte exposed is that the new owners cleared the bank of earth that had covered them for as long as I can remeber.
Your email says: 'If the owner is concerned about proximity to the house, branches of the tree nearest the house could be cut back onone side without detracting from pair’s very considerable amenity value.' We can confirm that on the same day as the Silver Birch was destroyed a significant number of branches were cut back from the Lime Tree nearest the house.

We live nearby and think it would be extremely sad if these magnificent, mature and healthy trees were cut down. They are a significant part of the streetscape and contribute to the character of the Grange that we all love. If the owners of the house feel they are a safety issue, then they could be pruned. If the roots are exposed, it will be because the new owners have excavated between the two trees which both grow out of a raised bank.

If everyone cut down the tress in their front gardens, it would seriously affect the amenity value of the area. There is a public interest in the streetscape and the Council should recognise that.

We feel a tree preservation order should be put on both trees.

Totally agree, but a healthy tree of this size is not any greater risk than any other healthy tree in any street. It would be easy to check, but I don’t think they would reach to the houses on the other side of the road in any event.
Of more importance, as public input is not an option in this planning process,can we get our views across to the decision makers, beyond the email already sent? Could the Association put in a request for a TPO ?

This application does not include any claim that the trees are unhealthy or in any way at risk of falling and there is no report from a specialist to that effect. The Grange Association's tree specialist has described them as "healthy and vigorous" and notes that they are over 100 years old, the only ones of this age or size on Cumin Place.

I have lived in the Grange for over 20 years and have experienced many winter storms and gales but I have never known a healthy well-rooted tree to fall and cause significant damage to people or property here. In this Conservation Area, the owner of the trees is the temporary guardian, who will move on in a number of years. The trees are the permanent residents.

Could I just ask a "daft laddie" question ?

Am I right that we shouldn't assume that by putting a post up here, the GA will forward it to the Council planners, or that's the whole process ?

I guess the GA might say "we have had xx concerns aired on our members forum", or "here are some of the comments registered by our members on our forum", but the best way for someone to alert the Council Planning Dept is actually to write a letter or email in ?

Is that right ? Sorry ...

In relation to some of the previous posts, I would like to make a few points:

- Looking through the planning application and the GA's own assessment, I can see no evidence that the safety of these trees is of concern. I think it would be inappropriate to make decisions based on worst case personal anecdote and, if felt necessary, an independent view should be sought (assume this is the role of the Council).

- Being a close neighbour and having spoken to most others, in contradiction to the sentiment expressed that 'all of them would prefer the trees to come down', this is not true; most are opposed to the felling.

These trees are part of the fabric of the street and neighbourhood and should remain so.
I support a TPO being placed on these trees.

Having seen the debate about these trees to date it seemed appropriate to give an adjacent view.

As the owner of a house that is directly in the radius of any descent it is most uncomfortable to witness the movement of these trees in a high wind and indeed hear the noise that they generate.

The fact is that these trees have evolved to a scale that is not in keeping with their position and they dominate the immediate properties. You could easily speculate there is a high probability that they could cause a catastrophe someday. This probability of the ‘one in a hundred year wind’ seems to be ever increasing with climate change or at least with experience of recent storms. Unfortunately there can be a different perspective if you are in the ‘fall out zone’.

No one wants to see trees removed just for the sake of it and the problem is not the trees in isolation; regrettably it is their scale and where they are in relation to the house. Surely a property owner has some fundamental right (even duty?) to do something about it if the trees threaten and intimidate a property.

It is a very sad fact that they have outgrown their position and as for aesthetics it is an interesting debate as to when was the optimum look? Taken to extremes, it is almost certain there were no trees when Cumin Place was built and for most of their lives these trees have not dominated as they currently do. Given this constant change through the years the application of a different (even reinstatement) of a better-adapted landscape can be just as appropriate.

Things change and move on. Properties need upgraded sympathetically and it is a great point that we are the guardians for future generations. This is such a case and it is a most positive step to see a house and garden being rejuvenated. Overall Cumin Place will benefit.

I would strongly request that a TPO be assigned to these two Lime Trees. Both trees have been given a clean bill of health and so do not present any more of a danger than other mature trees in the area. This “Notable” Lime (Woodland Trust categorisation of 100 - 175 year old Lime Tree*) should be given due consideration within an identified Conservation area, such as we are dealing with here.

These healthy trees represent a significant value of importance in the creation of habitats for fungi and insects quality, improvement of air pollution and should they be felled would clearly have a detrimental effect on the urban landscape.

https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/how-to-record/species-guides/lime/

We also live in Cumin Place and would prefer the trees to remain standing in the Grange conservation area. We would add that Frontier Forestry Ltd, a reputable tree surgery company, came to crown lift the trees on 7 July 2020. So they have been reduced recently.