Tree removal - City of Sydney (Engineer)

Discussion in 'Development' started by filipe, 16th Apr, 2018.

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  1. filipe

    filipe Well-Known Member

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    3rd Oct, 2016
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    Location:
    Sydney
    TLDR: If anyone knows of a good structural engineer who can help in City of Syd area, this will be much appreciated.

    I am going down the path of attempting to gain approval to remove 2x trees in City of Sydney council area. It is proving difficult.

    One is a liquidambar - about 12m. Up to 10m the tree can be removed without approval as it is on the exempt list, but both tree loppers and council say its over 10m so that window is gone.

    The other is a cypress pine. Not on the authorised list. About 14m tall.

    The main reason I want to remove them is because they really are too big for the space that they grow in. They are wedged in a 2m wide area between my old cottage and the neighbouring terrace. An added benefit IF they are gone is I can potentially build a granny flat or unlock land for future extension/rebuild.

    Council said I need a structural engineers report to demonstrate the trees are causing substantial damage in order for them to consider removing them. Being too big for the area is not acceptable reason for council - 'they are providing good amenity to the area' etc...

    The trees are in fact causing damage to both my house foundations and the neighbour, however I don't know if it is extreme enough for council to give the green light to allow chopping them down. It rains, clay soil, trees take all the moisture, house foundations suffer, etc...

    Does anyone have any tips or advice in this situation to help push it over the line?

    If anyone knows of a good structural engineer who can help in City of Syd area, this will be much appreciated.


    Apologies if this is in the wrong forum, couldn't decide between development, repairs & maintenance and landscaping !
     
  2. filipe

    filipe Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Sydney
    anyone have recommendations for an engineer to do a report like this in Sydney? Haven't had any luck so far.
     
  3. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Is there any significant structural damage that an engineer would be concerned about or so you need them to make it up?

    Why can't an arborist report suffice?
     
  4. filipe

    filipe Well-Known Member

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    Posts:
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    Location:
    Sydney
    there is real damage to the neighbours property mainly - but I'm not 100% sure if it is caused by the trees or the fact that their foundations were never done deep enough back 100 years ago when initially built. There is clay soil which swells and the trees take the moisture which I assume contributes to the damage.

    My property also has some damage to the brick piers, leaning, crumbling etc - probably from old age/poor building rather than actual damage caused specifically by the trees. I guess it is possible the trees are contributing to it though.

    I thought an arborist report would merely comment on the health of the trees. Which I suspect are healthy...if it was likely to add weight to my case to remove it then I would get one as well for sure ?