Hove couple want tree removed from pavement outside house

Marcia and David Hasler want the hawthorn tree moved from outside their home in Chelston Avenue, Hove, due to its thorns and the amount of berries that drop into their driveway and the pavement and get left squashed on the floor.

The retired couple, who are in their seventies, said the tree has become unmanageable for them and they are not able to clear the fallen berries due to their health problems.

But the council say it “cannot set a precedent with removing healthy trees” as they say it “would lose half their tree stock if they were to do this”.

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Mrs Hasler said the problem is getting worse every year and wants the tree moved.

She said: “The bigger it’s getting, the more berries I’m getting. This year is the most berries I have ever had.

“It's getting worse and worse. Something has got to be solved and I can’t see our council taking the bother of sending someone here on a yearly basis to prune it.”

The Haslers say the tree's low hanging branches are a hazard.

The couple, who have been married for over 40 years, say the berries are a slip hazard and that one of their neighbours spiked their head on one of the tree's low-hanging spikes just weeks ago.

They have also spoken with Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove and Portslade, who wrote back with a letter on October 6 this year stating that the council said it “cannot set a precedent” by removing healthy trees, after he spoke with the council's arboriculture manager.

The letter did state that if the pavement is “sloppy and hazardous” Mr and Mrs Hasler could report it to Cityclean. The couple say they have tried calling Cityclean but have had no luck.

Mrs Hasler added: “Look at the driveway, it’s already been swept. Look at the top of the car.”

Mr and Mrs Hasler say the berries regularly leave a mess on their car.

The couple suggested the tree could be moved from the pavement to the central green in their close where it would have more space and drop berries into the grass rather than the pavement.

Mr Hasler added: “It’s a beautiful tree but it’s in the wrong place.”

The council threatened legal action over the same tree four years ago, stating that it was blocking the pavement and ordered the Haslers to take action within two weeks.

It realised afterwards that it was in fact a tree belonging to them, and pruned it five weeks after the threat of legal action was made.

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The council told The Argus that they "do not consider" berries and leaves falling to be "a reason for moving" the tree.

A council spokesman said: “We’re really proud of the city’s diverse tree population, which includes the National Elm Collection.

The council say the fallen leaves and berries is not a reason to move the whole tree.

“Every autumn thousands of trees across the city drop their leaves and berries. We do not consider this in itself to be a reason for moving them.

“We would appeal to all our residents to take care on our pavements over the next few weeks, and look out for leaves and other tree droppings that may be slippery.

“Our street cleaning team is working flat out to try and keep our streets and pavements clean and safe.”

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