What trees are Lewisham Council responsible for?

Lewisham Council is responsible for the maintenance of street trees on all the public roads that it is responsible for. We also maintain trees in public parks, nature reserves and other green spaces owned by the Council. Trees on housing estates managed by Lewisham Homes are also the responsibility of the council.

Lewisham do not maintain trees in private gardens or on private roads.

Trees on ‘Red Routes’ are maintained by Transport for London (TfL). If you are unsure whether the land is private please call us as we may be able to advise you.

What do I do if I am concerned about a tree belonging to a neighbour who owns their own property?

You need to speak to your neighbour. If your neighbour owns the property, they are responsible for the tree. If your neighbour is a tenant, they can speak to the homeowner on your behalf or provide you with the necessary contact details. If you have already done this and things have remained unresolved, you can seek legal advice.

Who deals with the Tree Preservation Orders and when do these apply?

For details of existing tree preservation orders, please contact Lewisham’s planning department on 0208 314 8719 or email them at . You may wish to carry out works on your own tree so you should check with this department that a TPO doesn’t already exist on the tree. If you live in a conservation area, you will need to contact the planning dept and make an application to proceed prior to having any works being carried out. The planning dept will be very specific about the actual work you can proceed with therefore you must not proceed with works prior to receiving permission.

Please remember trees are very valuable for wildlife and good for the environment. Cutting a tree down may should be very carefully considered before works are carried out.

Can I work on a tree that is overhanging my property?

You are legally entitled to cut back foliage that is hanging over the border of the property you own. Whilst this applies, if the tree you are concerned about is the responsibility of the council, please contact us.

If the tree does not belong to the Council, you should seek professional advice from a qualified tree surgeon and speak to the owner of the tree prior to any works, as works being done by someone who isn’t qualified can lead to the tree becoming serious problems in future, e.g. the tree can become unstable. You may need to make an application to planning if the tree is in a conservation area or has a Tree Preservation Order on it.

I want to enquire about a tree that is blocking light.

Shade caused by a tree- to some is regarded as a benefit whilst can be a cause of frustration to others. Whilst the Council appreciates all perspectives, it has a duty of care to prioritise trees considered dangerous or potentially hazardous. Each enquiry about a tree is considered on its own merits and all trees are subject to a priority rating. All trees identified for maintenance will be worked upon at some stage. However, waiting periods can range from immediate (falling tree) to several years as new trees requiring high priority works continue to be identified. This means that the majority of enquiries concerning blocking of light have substantially longer waiting periods.

The tree outside my house has large roots and I am concerned about the pavement which has become uneven

Please contact our Highways department on 02083147171 or email them at who will carry out an inspection and arrange for the necessary pavement works to be carried out. Officer from the highways will consult with the tree department if they need their assistance.

I have concerns that the tree outside my home may be affecting the structure of my property.

There are a variety of things that can cause structural damage to your property even though you may think the tree is the apparent cause. For this reason if you have such concerns, a full and thorough investigation is required. If you contact your insurance company they will arrange for a professional company to carry out such an investigation. This will not simply involve confirming whether tree roots are present, adjacent to or beneath your property as roots are frequently found underneath buildings within a city area and cause no problem. If cracks are evident within a structure, movement monitoring will need to be carried out on these over a period of time to establish if there is any connection with the presence of the tree. If this has been done already and you have a report that supports that indicates the tree is implicated, please send this report to our Insurance and Risk section, Town Hall, Catford, London SE6 4RU.

I wish to have a crossover outside my house but there is a tree in the way

It is not Lewisham policy to fell a healthy tree to enable crossovers. If you feel that there is a mitigating circumstance that would justify an application for a crossover, please put this is writing to the Highways department.

I am worried about a tree because I believe it may be unsafe

The following things are usually considered when trying to establish if a tree is actually unsafe;

Disease- If you see fungus (can look like large mushrooms) growing on the tree (particularly at the bottom) please report this to the council.

If the tree you are concerned about is a Horse chestnut whose leaves have turned brown- it is likely to have been infected by a leaf mining moth. This will not kill the tree and if you want any more information, we can send you a leaflet if you contact

Tree looks dead or dying- If you think the whole tree may be dead (because there has been no apparent leaf or flowering for a long time) or you think there are large dead branches within the tree, please contact the Council.

I am worried about a tree because it is very tall and sways a lot when it is windy. Many species of tree can grow to a considerable height. As they grow they develop a root system to support their main structure. Unless you can see any of the above or

·  Cracking or lifting of the surface at the base of the tree as it sways in the wind

·  The tree is moving in a extreme fashion (such as it appears to be twisting), it is probably safe.

If you are very concerned and believe there is an emergency, please contact our Envirocall service on 020 8314 7171 or (if out of hours) contact our switchboard on 020 8314 6000

I think my tree is a nuisance- will the Council work on it?

The Council will not, as a matter of course, carry out maintenance works for the following reasons-

·  Sap falling onto pathways and cars-this is connected to insect activity and is generally of short duration

·  Pollen being released from the tree- billions of pollen spores are released into the atmosphere annually by many varieties of trees/shrubs and flowers found within all areas of our environment. As such, the pruning or felling of an individual tree will have little or no impact on someone who may suffer with allergies. Your GP or pharmacy can advise you about allergy treatments.

·  Birds roosting and/or nesting in trees creating a mess- It is illegal to work on any tree that has an active birds nest in it. Trees are a natural habitat for birds and Lewisham is keen to support wildlife in an urban environment. We therefore will not work upon trees in instances where birds are seen as a nuisance because of any mess that they may make. As birds only nest for short periods of time and likewise attractive food substances such as berries are only in fruit for a short period, such nuisance has a time limit.

·  Fruit falling from trees- This is limited to a fairly short time duration and Lewisham street cleansing regime helps to limit its negative effects. If you wish to make any enquiries about street sweeping, please contact Envirocall on 020 8314 7171.

·  Satellite television- some satellite TV companies have advised residents in the past that should they experience reception problems, the council will remove or prune the tree outside,. This is not true. Existing trees should be a consideration of these companies prior to dish placement. If you feel you have been misinformed by your satellite company, please contact them directly and request that the dish is relocated to a more suitable position.

·  Telephone cables- generally speaking, telephone are not adversely affected by trees. This is variable however depending on the density of the tree and the number of cable running through it. If you are unsure about this, please contact Envirocall on 020 8314 7171.

·  Dropping leaves- There are many factors to considers regarding leaf fall, however leaves are thrown into the atmosphere from the many thousands of trees across the borough. This being the case, the council does not work on single trees to prevent leaf fall. The boroughs cleansing team work through the autumn to keep the pavements as clear as possible. Unfortunately, the Council is not in a position to clear leaves from private properties (including leaf fall in guttering which is the responsibility of the homeowner or management company). Apart from clearance, composting could be a consideration which prevents the need for disposal. If you wish to find out more about composting, please contact Lewisham Recycling team on 020 8314 2145 Free disposal facilities are provided at our Reuse and recycle site at Landmann Way.

·  Casting shade and lawn problems You may feel that leaves are affecting your lawn however, this is usually due to the shading effect from trees and/or lack sunlight. Please see question above re: Blocking of light.

When can I expect works to be done?

Our current priority ratings for works to trees outside of any cyclical programme are as follows:

Priority rating / Definition / Time indication
P1 / These are works that are deemed to be immediately necessary as they pose a risk to Health and Safety or are, on the balance of probability causing damage to property.
NOTE – some situations may arise that require an emergency response in which case contractors are contacted and works are completed as soon as possible. / As soon as is reasonably practicable
P2 / Trees assessed to be causing problems or nuisance, such as trees that are very close to dwellings. These trees require remedial works but do not pose a direct risk to public health and safety. / Indicative timescale
2 months -24 months
P3 / Trees that need some form of work e.g. pruning or thinning. However, it is not immediately necessary and the trees are of an adequate distance from properties. / As resources allow giving consideration to outstanding P1 & P2 works.