Tree removals and removal requests for insurance or building damage reasons
Dear St Peter's College, Oxford,
I am writing to you in your capacity as a significant landowner in the United Kingdom, as I would like to request some Environmental Information.
Trees that are near buildings are often threatened by requests for removal. These requests normally come from homeowners or property owners or their insurance companies after trees are alleged to be causing damage. In many cases these trees pre-date the buildings that are being affected.
Since you own a significant amount of land, you are responsible for a large number of trees - either through direct ownership or because of a responsibility for maintenance and any liability that may arise. I would like to understand more about how claims for building or infrastructure damage issue affect your organisation and the trees you are responsible for.
In particular, I would like to know, over the past 10 years:
- The locations of trees removed by your organisation due to property or infrastructure damage, ideally accompanied by their species and the date of removal where possible (locations via GIS data, What3Words, OS coordinates, or addresses as you find easiest)
- How many of/which of these trees were removed due to claims or requests from insurance companies
- How much your organisation paid to remove each tree (if this can be attributed per removal, or how much the organisation spent on tree removal each financial year if not)
- How much your organisation paid out in insurance claims for tree damage to properties (individual claim values preferred, but an aggregate value may be acceptable if you consider the individual values to be exempt from disclosure)
- The number of trees where removal has been requested, but was either refused, an alternative solution found, or the situation is still ongoing; any breakdown that can be provided (similar to above, e.g, species and location) would be appreciated
Please follow the following principles when considering this request:
- Data at an individual tree level is preferred, but where you consider this can't be disclosed due to commercial or legal agreements (e.g, insurance claims, contractor works) then aggregate data either annually or (worst case) over the whole period may be acceptable
- Some data is better than no data; for example, if data is only available for the last 5 years then that is better than refusing the request
Given this is a request about trees, this request falls under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) rather than FOI. This carries stricter time limits for responses and fewer exemptions to disclosure. Please treat this as an EIR request.
Yours faithfully,
Lawrence Weetman
Dear Lawrence,
Our records are not always easily accessible for this entire period but we have consulted our gardener who has worked here for those years. We have tried to give the years but this data is not always clear or available.
All on our main site (OX1 2DL)
- The locations of trees removed by your organisation due to property or infrastructure damage, ideally accompanied by their species and the date of removal where possible (locations via GIS data, What3Words, OS coordinates, or addresses as you find easiest)
We have only removed the following four trees, two which fell and two which were replaced during a major works and gardening project:
1. Walnut tree in the main quad - fell in bad condition (in 2015 possibly, or 2014) but has been replaced with three young trees. Cost to remove not known.
2. Mulberry tree - was in poor condition and being nursed by a tree surgeon for some years, and finally fell in summer 2023 - cost approximately £600 + VAT for removal - was replaced with sapling
3. Two trees (unidentified species) were replaced in our Fellows' Garden as part of a re-landscaping project in 2025. Additional trees were also planted. Cost not clear as part of much larger garden project.
- How many of/which of these trees were removed due to claims or requests from insurance companies
No trees have been removed as a result of insurance claims or requests.
- How much your organisation paid to remove each tree (if this can be attributed per removal, or how much the organisation spent on tree removal each financial year if not)
See above
- How much your organisation paid out in insurance claims for tree damage to properties (individual claim values preferred, but an aggregate value may be acceptable if you consider the individual values to be exempt from disclosure)
N/A
- The number of trees where removal has been requested, but was either refused, an alternative solution found, or the situation is still ongoing; any breakdown that can be provided (similar to above, e.g, species and location) would be appreciated
N/A
I hope this is sufficiently helpful for your requirements. If not, let me know and we will pursue your enquiry further.
With best wishes,
Best wishes,
Hannah
Hannah Hempstead (pronouns: she/her)
College Communications Manager
St Peter’s College
New Inn Hall Street
Oxford OX1 2DL
Porters’ Lodge/Switchboard 01865 278900
Direct Line 01865 278877
[mobile number]
Work from home notice: I work from home most Fridays
spc.ox.ac.uk
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