Move to fell trees suspected of causing damage to house near Chesterfield

The owners of the house at The Green, Hasland bought the semi-detached property in 2022 and started discovering cracking shortly after they moved in. Their neighbours informed them that they had an ongoing claim for subsidence damage which prompted a notification to their own insurers.

An engineer’s report stated that the main damage is on the right hand side of the property with cracks at the junction of the walls and walls and ceilings, diagonal cracks around door and window openings and cracked and displaced floor tiles.

"This is consistent with downward foundation movement towards the right hand side of the property. The level of the damage is moderate,” said the report which was prepared for the purpose of investigating a claim for subsidence.

Borehole investigations on the affected side of the property found live roots underneath the foundations of the porch where it meets the rest of the house and underneath the foundations where the dining room meets the kitchen. Laboratory tests identifed the tree roots as acer species (including sycamores, Norway maples and Japanese maples).

If the trees are removed, the cost of crack repair and redecoration is estimated at £30,000. If not, underpinning may be necessary which, together with crack repair and redecoration, would cost £100,000.

An application for consent to fell the sycamores and remove the stumps has been submitted to the council by Helen Klarner of Property Risk Inspection Ltd. The sycamores, which are growing adjacent to the property, are protected by a Tree Preservation Order.