Southampton resident's six-year row over huge oak tree

Wayne Labram, 54, has been asking Southampton City Council to cut back a towering oak tree in his Hinkler Road back garden since 2017.

The highway engineer says "uncontrollable" bird muck and falling branches pose a health risk to him and his family.

The oak tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) which makes it a criminal offence to damage a tree without consulting the council.

This means Wayne can't hire a private tree surgeon to prune the tree without the council's permission.

The tree towers over the garden in Thornhill (Image: Ross Marshall)

Wayne said: “The council is prioritising the Tree Protection Order over my family’s health and safety.

“I’m out here every day clearing up the debris, leaves, tree sap and bird muck that falls from the tree into my garden. Everything is filthy. It is getting so stressful.

“We have had food covered in bird muck when we try and have a barbecue which could have ended in us getting ill. God forbid we hang up the washing outside.

“I can’t even let my granddaughter out in the back garden – I’m too scared for her safety.”

The large oak tree attracts many birds that cover the family's garden in droppings (Image: Ross Marshall)

Wayne also said the previous owner of the property told him that the council had commissioned a tree surgeon to cut back the branches in 2008.

No pruning has taken place since Wayne moved in in 2012, according to the resident, and a thick branch now hangs across his conservatory roof.

In a letter seen by the Echo responding to a complaint made in 2018, a tree officer said he saw "no significant deadwood" during his visit and "no evidence" that would make him question the safety of the branch running along the boundary fence line.

"As such, I do not consider it appropriate to reduce this limb," he wrote.

Wayne said he paid for a tree surgeon to assess the tree in 2020, and was told the tree urgently needed cutting back.

Wayne Labram fears for the safety of his family under such a large tree (Image: Ross Marshall)

He added: “I’m just so tired of speaking to someone at the council every week and nothing being done.”

In response to Wayne’s claims, a spokesperson for the council said: “We have been in communication with the resident and have directed them through to our complaints process recently. 

“Since our conversations we can see no complaint has been raised by the resident and we invite them again to do so.”