A HOMEOWNER who was unable to secure permission to cut down a rotten tree has said he is lucky to be alive after it was ripped from its roots before crashing through his conservatory.
Stephen Appleby, 66, of Abbot’s Road, Colchester, fell victim to the impacts of Storm Isha last Sunday when an old tree smashed into his home after being blown over by strong winds.
Thankfully, neither Mr Appleby nor his wife were injured, but the impact of the tree resulted in damage to parts of his home and his back garden becoming blocked.
Mr Appleby’s car was also left buried under the heavy tree, but miraculously it did not sustain any damage.
“The conservatory on the side of the house is no longer there, as well as the fences," he said.
“Our garage, which is six to seven metres away from the house has been clipped as well, but luckily there was only minor damage.
“If we had sat in the conservatory, we wouldn’t be here today.”
According to Mr Appleby, he applied to Colchester Council asking for the tree to be removed due to it being rotten, but he never received a reply, nor approval.
He also says no planning officer ever visited the site, leaving him constantly worried whether the tree, which he estimates to be between 60 and 100 years old, could eventually topple.
Bosses at Colchester Council have now said the application went under the radar due to an issue with their IT system.
A spokesman said: “The council received an application to fell the protected tree in Abbot’s Road and, on December 13, 2023, a decision was made to grant permission for its removal.
“However, due to an unfortunate IT system failure, this decision was not processed, and the resident was not informed. We have now rectified this error.
“We understand that the resident had previously applied for the tree’s removal due to concerns about its condition. We deeply regret that the delayed communication of the decision may have delayed the felling of the tree.
“We regret any distress and inconvenience the recent storm damage has caused and hope that the fallen tree will be removed without any further inconvenience to the owner.”
Storm Isha swept through Essex last week leaving homes without power, schools having to shut, and trains cancelled.
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