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Neighbours' row over pianist's bid to chop down 'beautiful' tree in back garden

"Beautiful": the tree at the back of the Notting Hill property: Westminster Council
"Beautiful": the tree at the back of the Notting Hill property: Westminster Council

A classical pianist’s bid to chop down a “beautiful” tree in his Notting Hill garden has sparked discord with neighbours.

Robert Simister and his wife say they should be allowed to fell the 39ft golden false Acacia tree at the back of their £3.8 million property.

But Westminster council says the tree should be protected because of its “positive contribution to the character and appearance of the area”. It granted a temporary order safeguarding it for up to six months in May and now hopes to give it permanent protected status.

However, the owners of the three-storey Victorian terrace home fear it is decaying and has caused damage to their rear garden wall.

In a submission to the council, they said: “The tree is simply in the wrong size garden, poor thing. It is clearly the cause of damage to our neighbour’s property and to our own.”

The contentious issue was raised amid negotiations to gain permission for a new glass box extension at the rear of the family’s home in Chepstow Place.

"We are hoping to use the extension as home for his grand piano. Every little bit of space would be super helpful"

Wife of Robert Simister

In a letter to council officers, Mr Simister’s wife added: “My husband is a classical pianist so we are very much hoping to be able to use the groundfloor extension as home for his grand piano, so every little bit of space would be super helpful.”

But neighbours have backed the council’s plans to protect the tree, saying it is “imperative to the local area’s ecosystem”. One added: “I don’t want to see the tree cut down. Birds are nesting inside and we don’t want to see our ecosystem damaged.”

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Claude Heroys, 81, said: “It provides oxygen and is a home to birds and animals. I think we should keep it. It’s a beautiful looking thing and it would be a shame to see it go.

“It’s not causing anyone any harm from what I can see.”

A decision on the tree is expected to be made at Westminster’s planning sub-committee meeting tonight.

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