Spooner Row Message Board

Date: Apr 14, 2014

Save the 100+ year old Oak tree due to be cut down on Bank Holiday Monday.

Date: Apr 15, 2014

Is the tree being cut down because it is diseased? If not, then surely permission would need to be made. I thought all native old trees such as this had to be assessed by the Tree Warden at South Norfolk Council as it might need to have (or already have) a Tree Preservation Order on it. Speak with your neighbour at (..edited) Cottage and speak to the Tree Warden. It seems a shame to cut down another old oak tree.

-- Edited by webstation on Monday 21st of April 2014 02:50:15 AM

Date: Apr 16, 2014

Thankyou so much for your advice.

As far as anyone knows, the tree is not diseased.

Some locals feel it is being cut down because it is too near the front of the property and this can cause problems with (..edited) etc.

I am going to try to find out more and hopefully get the owner to see sense and just prune/crown the tree.

-- Edited by webstation on Monday 21st of April 2014 02:48:44 AM

Date: Apr 16, 2014

That is one beautiful and majestic oak tree which does not deserve this fate. I do hope there is a Tree Preservation Order on it or the owners can be persuaded to crown it, but it does look perfectly healthy and must have been a feature in the old Spooner Row landscape.

I do hope that it will not come to destruction of this lovely old tree - they do so much good to the environment as well.

Date: Apr 16, 2014

You really do need to speak with the Tree Warden at South Norfolk Council, if you haven't done so already. If the tree is good, I expect he will allocate it with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) if it doesnt have one already. I once asked for a Tree Preservation Order on an oak tree that had building work done near it resulting in it having better protection when it got its TPO.

Date: Apr 17, 2014

I have spoken to the tree warden at South Norfolk council and he has confirmed that the tree does not have a Tree Preservation Order on it but he is looking into the matter and hopefully he will decide that this beautiful old Oak tree needs saving and put a T P O on it.

Fingers crossed that we don't hear the sound of chainsaws on Bank Holiday Monday.

Thanks again for everyone's advice

Date: Apr 17, 2014

Is your neighbour aware that the Tree Warden is looking into assessing the tree for a TPO, in case your neighbour starts work on it before it is properly assessed? It sounds as though it is the type of tree due to its significance and age that would receive a TPO. Lets hope your neighbour respects doing the right thing and waits for the Tree Warden's assessment first. The Tree Warden may also advise on the best way to crown it if necessary.

Date: Apr 17, 2014

Has anyone here bothered to speak to the tree owner? There may be a very good reason why they need to have it removed and your interference could be causing them terrible inconvenience and heartache?, now and for the future. It is very unlikely they would be looking at doing this on a simple whim, before posting your side of the story in a public forum you should ensure you have all the facts.

going behind their backs on this forum is going to do nothing for your future relationship.

Date: Apr 17, 2014

Dear Anonymi,

I am Lucy, one of the owners of (..edited) Cottage. I was alerted today to this message forum and have to say I was somewhat surprised to hear of it. I do not know if I have met any of you owing to your anonymity but am certain I have not discussed plans for my house or garden with you. I am grateful to the person who posted the last message in suggesting that it may be a good idea to come and speak to me prior to posting on a message board and certainly would have appreciated this. Should anyone in the future feel moved to generate a notice board thread concerning any issues about my house, without any information or confirmation from myself or other residents of the house, may I suggest you call and see me first. We are new residents to the area and would be delighted to meet any of our neighbours, this would certainly be preferable to finding out we are being discused emotively without our knowledge or consent. I am not going to enter into further discussion on a notice but look forward to meeting anyone who would like to discuss any concerns with me, or preferably, to say hello and welcome us to the village.

Please do call and see us at any time and we wish you a happy Easter.

Lucy Arora

-- Edited by webstation on Monday 21st of April 2014 02:36:57 AM

Date: Apr 18, 2014

WELL SAID LUCY

Date: Apr 19, 2014

I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all the residents of (..edited) Cottage.

Also, to all those that took an interest in the old Oak tree, I am happy to have just heard that the lovely tree has now got a TPO (tree preservation order) on it, so hopefully it will live for another 100 years.

Thanks to everyone that took an interest.

-- Edited by webstation on Monday 21st of April 2014 02:38:42 AM

Date: Apr 19, 2014

....and welcome to the village!

Date: Apr 20, 2014

Welcome to the village!

Firstly, Lucy I apologise for the behaviour on this forum, the fact you were not aware of the concern prior the posting is out of keeping with what I expect from this site. Let's have more respect for people, and especially our neighbours and not fall foul of www ettiquette. Sorry lecture over!

As for the tree, I have taken the time to speak to the owners but as there is now a TPO there is not much more to say! Let's hope for a balanced respectful view.

Dear Neil, sorry to hear that this forum is not in keeping with what you expect from this site, I would also hope that people are respectful and I try to remain impartial to material submitted. This thread was a bit difficult as the postings were anonymous and I was not aware of an issue or details about an oak tree, or that the oak tree owners had not been informed about their neighbours concerns - I would have hoped and expected that they had. I am sure their neighbours had no intention to cause upset. I would also not want to cause upset by the contents of this forum to anyone and apologise to Lucy Arora about any upset caused and I also warmly welcome you and your household to the village. Perhaps a lesson here to all residents, would be to communicate better with neighbours about concerns.

The TPO is an emotive issue and many people do value the old trees in the village. A recent posting on this forum has reported that a TPO is now in place, I would hope this issue can now rest.

Please note that there is an option where you can report any abuse of this forum to Activeboard who are the hosts of this site or contact me directly. (Webstation)

Date: Apr 21, 2014

Well I think this website is doing a fantastic job. It provides a vehicle for people to express their concerns about their village in a friendly, responsible manner. The moderator of this site in my experience always acts responsibly. The key issue here is that somebody had an urgent concern and felt that the only way to get advice was to use this website. Thank goodness that the TPO officer was available over Easter. Neil, you would not have even known about this issue unless you had visited this website.

Date: Apr 21, 2014

I am from Wymondham town and I wish we had a message board like this one in SRow. There is a lot happening in the town that we don't like but feel powerless. There is something called Wymondham Online but I have no idea who runs it.

Dear Anonymous, thank you for this. If someone from Wymondham wants to set up a message forum such as this for the town, I hope they will be prepared to put up with a certain amount of aggro. This message forum is run by volunteers to enable Spooner Row residents to have a voice for their points of view and inform residents of their concerns and other relevant information. (Webstation)

Date: Apr 21, 2014

The only thing I would change is the ability to post anonymously. I.e. Stop it.

Say at what you like, but at least have the courage to put your name or a username to your comments. Then we will see how community spirited people are when particularly disagreeable comments can be tracked and followed up if required.

Force sign up against a validated email address (which will be kept private by web station, and only used for admin or dispute resolution purposes) which is pretty standard practice on other forums

Dear End Anonymous Posting,

Thank you for your suggestion. The Anonymous facility is there as residents have expressed their concerns over the years about posting their thoughts on controversial issues which have affected the village. A balance needs to be made so that residents feel able to express their views and concerns as opposed to being possibly "tracked and followed up" when providing their names (or a username) if they say something "disagreeable". As mentioned above, there is a facility to report abuse to either the Webstation or to Activeboard. Hopefully people will remain respectful when using this site.

(Webstation). PS, I notice that you have not provided your name.

Date: Apr 21, 2014

that was deliberate wink

Date: Apr 23, 2014

Thank you to those who preserved this tree at short notice over Easter.

Date: Apr 23, 2014

The tree didn't need preserving as it was never going to be chopped down. The whole essence of this thread is to find out the facts first before you besmirch someone especially on a public forum.

Date: Apr 23, 2014

Hurrah for Considerate Villager, at last!

Although, perhaps we could just not 'besmirch' someone at all?

(I like that word, I will try to use it tomorrow, even if it means besmirching one of my interns)

..

(I will not really be besmirching an intern tomorrow...................)

Date: Apr 25, 2014

This thread is now closed.

The confusion over the status of the tree and the unnecessary upset caused; I think we all agree that people need to communicate better with their neighbours.