Ruth met the Council’s Tree Office for a site visit in Cecil Sharp Place last week prior to his meeting with the University about the maintenance and management of trees on their boundary.
The officer tells us that the University agreed the following:
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To reduce the height and spread of conifer trees along the boundary with Cecil Sharp Place to address the complaints from residents in the short term. An elder tree near the northern end which over hangs the garden of no.s 1-4 will be removed completely at the same time. The OU Parks Superintendent is going to put together a specification for these works and send it to the City Council for approval under the conditions of planning permission for the Botnar building. When approval is given the work will be carried out.
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To prepare a plan for removing and replacing the conifer trees along the boundary with Cecil Sharp Place in the longer term. The plan will be to remove the existing conifers and replace them with a mix of holly, yew, birch and scots pine trees planted further from the boundary fence to replace the screening in a way which is less of a problem for residents and easier to manage by the University. The University will actively consult with residents on the proposals;
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To continue managing the conifers along the boundary with properties in Wilberforce Street at their existing height. The trees were reduced in height last year and this work will be carried out every 3-5 years as necessary.
The scope for the pruning work in 1. above is quite limited; these trees don’t have dormant buds underneath the bark and so unlike broadleaved trees will not produce new growth if they are cut back beyond the green foliage. To avoid creating an ugly brown face to the trees for residents it will not be possible to prune back to the boundary.
It was confirmed that trees further east along the boundary with Mattock Close properties are not within the Botnar site and responsibility. We are contacting the NOC separately about works to those.