As we now enter the last few hours to have your say on the consultation affecting the 4 healthy mature trees on Harrowden Rd, hopefully you will be pleased to hear that we at WWAG has just submitted our contributions to this consultation.
The consultation closes tonight at 23:59, and emails can still be submitted to highwaysinsurance@northnorthants.gov.uk so you still have time to submit a few words.
Please see Wellingborough Walks Action Group’s (WWAGs) submission report here:
Please read the conclusions section in this document to see our main findings and our requests to NNC in this matter. Happy Reading :
Thanks to the support of many people across the community we were able to commission a Structural Engineer (Rob Adaway from RASS, IEng IMIStructE MICE), and an Arboriculturalist, (Professor Jeffery Duckett, B.A. PhD Cantab.FLS FZS) to assess the various pieces of documentation provided by NNC in this matter. Please see their respective reports attached.
We also were able to find a few other interesting pieces, including pictures showing that the trees were on-site in 1964, and were mature by this point, before any homes were built and Roche Way even existed.
And, following up advice from our solicitors and from the Arboricultural expert, we conducted a CAVAT assessment and found that these 4 trees have a combined amenity value of just short of £320,000. More than enough to show that underpinning the property, as the Structural Engineer advises, would be much less of a cost (and a loss) than felling these beautiful trees.
And finally….
You still have time to have your say and submit your questions and concerns. Please email highwaysinsurance@northnorthants.gov.uk to submit a few words
Thank you to everyone that has given up their time to write in on the matter and for contributing towards the costs of the expert support from Rob, Jeff and Alice (our solicitor).
Hopefully NNC will listen to everyone’s contribution, that the threat on the 4 trees will be removed and the homeowner will receive support for the most appropriate solution to repair their home, (underpinning) as the Structural Engineer’s report recommends.
You may have seen that, following our letter to them, NNC have announced a new consultation on the felling of 4 trees on Harrowden Rd.
While we welcome the fact that the Council have accepted that their previous consultations were flawed (we have had to write to them twice since Nov 2025), we are disappointed that NNC are still planning to fell these healthy, mature maple and beech trees.
We have also uncovered other information, which is not on the NNC portal. This can be viewed on WWAG’s website here: https://saveourtrees.co.uk. and – (Please see this additional information the section below).
NNC have said that should the proposal be upheld, the trees would be felled within 8 weeks of the 1st March deadline.
Under the duty to consult, all responses to the consultation must be considered before a decision is taken. We are therefore urging supporters to respond to the consultation.
While the trees are reported to be implicated in the subsidence of a neighbouring property, we have a number of initial concerns:
There is no proper consideration of alternatives to felling, most importantly whether a root barrier could be installed or the property underpinned;
The trees are healthy and mature (approximately 100 years old) with significant environmental and amenity value.
There has been no attempt to assess this value of the trees (such as a CAVAT valuation) when considering whether felling them is a sensible and proportionate solution;
According to the insurer’s report, the property sits on clay soil and has shallow foundations. Despite this, there would appear to be no consideration of whether felling the trees will provide a lasting and effective solution to the subsidence problem, or if the property in fact needs underpinning (something that is more expensive for insurers, which is why they often push for cheaper alternatives first).
There has been no consideration of whether felling the trees will result in heave (the opposite of subsidence), which could result in further damage to the property; and
NNC do not appear to be applying their own recently updated (20th January 2026) Tree Management policy, which states that they will push for ‘engineering solutions‘ to avoid felling healthy trees.
If these concerns are not addressed, the trees may be felled needlessly and the subsidence issues facing the property may not be effectively resolved.
We are also asking for donations to help fund an expert report and other potential actions.
You can donate to WWAG to help in this case:
(a) via a bank transfer – please email Marion at marion@wwag.org.uk and I can provide the bank account details. Please put ‘Harrowden Rd Trees’ in the subject line
(b) if you wish to pay by card please call Jonathan on 07954 082802 and he will arrange a card payment with you over the phone
(c) cash donations can be made either by contacting Marion via email or by visiting Wellingborough’s ECO HUB in person on Tuesday’s (10am to 6pm) or Thursday’s (10am to 2pm), or Sunday’s (12 noon to 3pm) each week
To help us to keep all contributions for this case separate from funds for the Walks Trees funds, please mark your donation as ‘Harrowden Rd Trees’. If you have any queries, please email Marion and she will endeavour to help. Thank you.
Since this case came to our attention we have found there are many cases like this happening around the Country, where healthy mature trees are being felled after having been implicated in subsidence cases affecting nearby properties, by insurance companies
In many of these cases, healthy trees are being felled ‘in the hope’ that subsidence issues will reduce, and measures which may better help the home and homeowners, such as ‘engineering solutions’ are often not being considered, such as; installing tree root barriers or underpinning structures.
We are hoping through working on this case, we can better understand if this is a common problem locally and what appropriate and sustainable solutions can be deployed, other than felling. If so, this may better help homeowners to have the most effective solutions for their home, help the Council and Council Taxpayers, to reduce costs, and save and much loved trees, vital to us in so many ways.
We are also concerned that should these trees be needlessly felled, and the Council not be challenged on this, that this would set a worrying precedent locally.
There are many street trees lining the streets of Wellingborough, and allowing such claims to go unchallenged, or not at least exploring other viable alternatives to felling, could see many other healthy trees also coming under threat.
How WWAG Plan to Help
Up to this point Wellingborough Walks Action Group’s (WWAG) focus has been working to save the threatened protected trees on the Walks on London Rd.
However, given the nature of this case, and our discovery of NNC’s poor delivery on the consultation process so far, our Committee felt we could step forward to see if we can help.
Treating the Neighbours to Harrowden Rd Trees with Respect:
Unlike the situation with the protected trees on The Walks, a household is being directly affected in this situation and is experiencing distress because of it. We believe this situation has been affecting them for a number of years and understandably they will wish to see the matter resolved as soon as possible. It’s helpful to be aware too that they may have no choice in the action that is being suggested. Given this, we ask that people treat the family with respect and compassion.
Any one of us could be in their situation, and with ever increasing likelihood of subsidence because of the longer hotter / drier summers and wetter winters which don’t mix well with the largely clayey soil of Wellingborough, many more of us could be affected in future. So please if you are commenting publicly, be kind and considerate to the householders.
Thank you, as ever, for your support to help ‘SAVE THE TREES’ around our town.
To help us understand what is happening in the subsidence case affecting a neighbouring property, WWAG and other interested parties, submitted Environmental Freedom of Information Requests (EIRs) to NNC. We received a number of pieces of information. As this information was gained from NNC in this way we are allowed to share it.
Please see below additional relevant information in this case that may help inform your deliberations and support any comments you wish to make to the Council via their Street Tree Consultation in this case.
We hope you find this helpful.
Item 1 – A summary of all the information we have received
Other Relevant Items Received from NNC in this matter
Items from EIR Request provided on 17th December to WWAG colleagues. This includes the Insurance Companies’ assessors report and the ‘Level Monitoring Report’ mentioned on the summary sheet above at No’s 1 and 2. Other emails listed in the summary are also visible in this ‘bundle’. NB – Some emails below which are passing items on to others are not noted in the summary above.
As you will have seen from our post last week re-the issues affecting 4 mature trees on Harrowden Rd which are at risk of being felled due to subsidence affecting a neighbouring property, there is presently a ‘Street Tree Consultation’ process underway.
Further to this, our lawyers wrote to the Council (NNC) on 19th December 2025 requesting that the consultation be ceased as the present process was flawed.
We heard back from NNC’s Legal Team yesterdaythat they have now stopped the present consultation process.
The Officer from NNC’s Legal Team stated that: ” there will be new, legally compliant notices issued, and a fresh consultation period undertaken”. They advised that ” a new consultation process (will take place) in due course”.
The Council also forwarded some information to us pertinent to the subsidence case at the neighbouring property, which is helpful and we will take a little time to analyse.
We have subsequently written back to the Council as the information shared is incomplete, missing (as it does) some information they had shared previously on this matter in an EIR (Environmental Information Request). They are also yet to provide any details about alternatives to felling they have considered and, if they have excluded these options, on what grounds they have done so.
This response and action by NNC is welcomed and is a good step in the right direction as we work to learn more about this situation and possible solutions that could help save these beautiful trees, and may even help the owners of the neighbouring property to push for the most appropriate remedial solutions for their home.
Sharing the relevant information
We expect the Council (NNC) will be updating their website as soon as possible with this latest development, and making available to the public the required information so that any future consultation supports residents or groups wishing to comment to be appropriately informed and make a meaningful contribution.
We will update you when we hear more.
Keep up the good work, and you may well still find it helpful to submit your own EIR request. You can do this by writing to: datarequests@northnorthants.gov.uk and quoting this case, and asking to see all information held by the Council on this matter.
As you are hopefully aware North Northants Council (NNC) re-started the Street Tree Consultation process for the possible felling of 4 mature trees on Harrowden Road, opposite the Pyghtle, on Friday 12th December 2025.
This process allows 28 days for residents to have their say about the possible felling of these trees. It also provides time for us to ask for more information as to why the Council is even considering felling, and any other steps they have considered, ‘other than’ felling, and why they may have rejected those alternatives.
This is the second time in the past couple of months that these trees have been under threat. During the first phase in November 2025, the Council put notices up saying the trees were to be felled within 8 weeks, effectively ignoring the legal requirement to consult with the public about the felling. Once we realised that they were not following the correct process I wrote asking them to end the process and, if required, re-start it appropriately. This they did at the time.
Having checked and discovered the further errors, we wrote to NNC requesting the missing information be shared asap. They replied that no insurance reports (which would explain the context in this situation) could be shared. I asked again, and had the same reply.
As a result we asked Alice Goodenough from our solicitors to write to NNC pointing out the errors in their Street Tree Consultation process and asking NNC to once again cease the process, and only re-start it when they can supply the required information. Alice submitted this letter to NNC on Friday 19th December. A copy of the letter is shared below for your information.
We hope the Council will heed this request, and its inherent warning that once again they are breaching another of their own key administrative processes. But they may well decide to carry on the consultation regardless. If that does happen, we plan to submit a response from WWAG on this matter, highlighting these and many other concerns.
The main initial issue here is that, as the Council is not providing the required detail about why these 4 mature trees may even need to be felled, it is extremely difficult for any of us to comment through the consultation in a meaningful way because of the lack of information. We are being left to guess as to the reasons for proposed felling other than knowing that they (the trees) have been identified as a possible source of structural damage for a neighbouring property. However, if NNC refuse to halt the consultation process all any of us can do at that stage is to share our thoughts, concerns and questions about the proposed felling anyway, before the 12th January 2026 deadline.
A further thing we could all do now, however, is to ask for full disclosure of the information relevant to this case through an Environmental Information Request, and we urge you to do thisas soon as possible.
Hopefully, if enough of us request this NNC will decide to publish this vital information, this would be helpful for all of us. We expect that NNC may have to redact some information but there should be enough visible for residents to be able to understand the context better and any alternatives to felling that have been considered, this is information which they are required to provide in this process.
What we have been able to glean so far is that residents of a neighbouring property lodged a claim for compensation to the Council for damages to their property regarding these trees. The Council investigated the claim and are now considering felling the trees, and we know the claim is an insurance claim and to do with subsidence affecting the property. We are also aware that the issue of insurance companies pushing for trees close-by housing to be felled in subsidence cases is now sadly common place across the UK. We do not yet know if this is the situation here as limited information has been provided by the Council to aid understanding.
Please, we urge, do take the time to have your say on this important matter.
TREATING THE NEIGHBOURS WITH RESPECT…
Unlike the situation with the protected trees on The Walks, a household is being directly affected in this situation and is experiencing distress because of it. We believe this situation has been affecting them for a number of years and understandably they will wish to see the matter resolved as soon as possible. It’s helpful to be aware too that they may have no choice in the action that is being suggested. Given this, we ask that people treat the family with respect and compassion.
Any one of us could be in their situation, and with ever increasing likelihood of subsidence because of the longer hotter / drier summers and wetter winters which don’t mix well with the largely clayey soil of Wellingborough, many more of us could be affected in future. So please if you are commenting publicly, be kind and considerate to the householders. Thank you.
HELPING WITH COSTS….
Since WWAG started in March 2023, we have been collecting and raising funds to help save the protected trees on The Walks, on London Road, which we are continuing to do.
However, this is the first time we are incurring costs to challenge processes to help save other trees in the town, if we can. Given this, we need your support and contributions to help make this happen. We have done what we can already to avoid incurring costs by liaising closely with NNC colleagues, but now it felt important to go further and pay for legal assistance given the Council’s refusal to share the information to appropriately enable this consultation.
If you are able to spare a few pounds to go towards costs in this case that would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be made to Wellingborough Walks Action Group Ltd in a number of ways:
(a) via a bank transfer – for this option please email Marion at marion@wwag.org.uk and I can provide the bank account details. Please put ‘Harrowden Rd Trees’ in the subject line
(b) if you wish to pay by card please click the button below or call Jonathan on 07954 082802 and he will arrange a card payment with you over the phone.
To help us to keep all contributions for this case separate, please mark donations as ‘Harrowden Rd Trees’. Thank you.
(c) cash donations can be made either by contacting Marion via email or by visiting Wellingborough’s ECO HUB in person on Tuesday’s (10am to 6pm) or Thursday’s (10am to 2pm), or Sunday’s (12 noon to 3pm) each week.
OUR COMMITMENT…
To be clear, we are aware that the information that we hope NNC will provide will help us all to see that the trees either; are not the cause of the impact on the neighbouring property, or that felling them would not help reduce that impact of subsidence, or that the trees could be saved by other mitigations being deployed, such as root barriers being installed.
But we are also aware that the information may clearly show that the 4 mature trees (or at least a couple of them) are the cause of concern and the situation may best be addressed by felling those trees. At this stage we don’t know.
So we need to be clear with you that our endeavours may not (ultimately) save these trees.
However, we believe it’s very important that the Council (and all involved parties) act appropriately in these matters and follow their rules and government direction correctly. We hope by being engaged and taking action we can all make a strong case for saving the trees on Harrowden Rd, but we cannot guarantee it.
Thank you, as ever, for your support to help us all ‘SAVE THE TREES’ around our town.
Best wishes and Happy New Year
Marion
Marion Turner-Hawes Director, Wellingborough Walks Action Group Ltd.
We have just one more day for everyone to have their say on the 3 new planning applications that Stanton Cross Developments (SCD) have submitted to North Northants Council (NNC). The closing date for all submissions is tomorrow (11th June 2024).
If you are still to have your say please go to the PLANNING page of this website to read up on what is happening and what you need to do.
And with our handy template letters to use as a base to submit your comments this makes it so much easier. Copies of the 3 letters are available to download from the PLANNING page at the bottom.
We have until next Tuesday 11th June 2024 to lodge any further objections to the 3 planning applications Stanton Cross Developments (SCD) have put in to North Northants Council (NNC), to discharge 4 crucial planning conditions that could see at least a further 15 preserved trees from the Walks being felled, any the loss of vital habit and food sources for the many species of mammal and birds that also enjoy the Walks and the surrounding flora.
The developers (SCD) are saying that of the 61 trees in that area that are TPO trees, they plan to fell 31 in total. They have already felled 16, and they want to fell a further 15. Most of which would come from this lovely section of trees south of the roundabout.
We believe it is not necessary to fell 13 of the above trees to deliver this new road. We know there is an alternative…
Please go to the ‘Proposals’ page of this website to see the alternative plans that show that there is another reasonable approach that could be taken that would save many more trees that SCD is presently proposing.
URGENT – Please go to the ‘Planning’ page on this site to see what you need to do to have your say to help SAVE OUR historic and vital trees.
Stanton Cross Developments (SCD) have made 3 new applications to North Northants Council (NNC) to do with matters relating to Route 2 and the protected trees on the Walks in Wellingborough. These applications cover the developer’s plans regarding:
which trees will be felled and which retained, including TPO protected trees (condition 34),
a survey about the presence and protection of Bats on the site (planning condition 32),
replacement planting and maintenance plans for Route 2 (conditions 23 and 36)
Its vital we all have our say and lodge any objections with the Council by 11th June 2024
Please go to the ‘Planning’ page of this website to read more about what is happening and what you need to do to object. You can also down load template letters from the bottom of that page.
Also go to the ‘Proposals’ page of this website to see the alternatives to Stanton Cross Developments felling plans from the Highways Consultant we commissioned to produce a report with an alternative approach that would save more trees and still help the developer and the Council deliver Route 2
IT’S VITALLY IMPORTANT WE ALL HAVE OUR SAY AND OBJECT TO THESE APPLICATIONS TO SAVE OUR TREES!!
