Trimming of Trees by residents

If you have been unable to get Surrey County Council to carry out tree works adjacent to your property, see below the advice of SCC's Senior Asset Planning
Manager (Arboriculture):

Customers are entitled under common law to cut parts of trees that trespass
over their boundary regardless of who owns them. Some trees have special
status and may not be worked on without permission from the Town Planning
Authority under Tree Protection rules. Most Highway Authority trees are not
protected by the Local Planning Authority.

So residents can cut what they like if it overhangs, but we ask them to
have due regard for the trees form and future vitality and not to cut
everything off just because they can. This rule applies up to the boundary
only and not 1mm beyond over highway land at which point the act of cutting
can be claimed by us as criminal damage to public property.

Customers should use an Arboricultural Association approved contractor who
can be found at: www.trees.org.uk

Customers in Spelthorne need to send the specification supplied by above
contractor for approval to roderick.johnson@surreycc.gov.uk

If approved the customer will receive confirmation that they may go ahead
with the work.

Works will not be approved over highway land unless an AA approved
contractor is used, but they can use who they like to work over their own
land because of insurance liabilities. All AA contractors are properly
trained and insured.

In some circumstances work may be approved to a whole tree such as crown
thinning if they wish but it is very seldom that crown reduction is
approved due to implications on tree future management / maintenance as
well as the effect on tree structure shape and form.