‘It looks like a giant Pac-Man’, cry fuming neighbours over 30ft ‘helmet’ tree that blocks out light & threatens homes
NEIGHBOURS of a giant “pac-man” tree have blasted the 30-ft foliage as a “massive eyesore”.
But a pensioner has refused to ever cut the 30ft cedar down despite it potentially blocking light and threatening homes.
Peter Davis, 72, claims the tree in his Norfolk front yard, dubbed ‘The Big Fella’, is beloved by tourists and no locals have ever complained.
The tree in Wymondham has been chopped so vehicles driving by don’t hit it – and it now looks like a massive helmet or the video game character.
But some locals dislike its look and instead said neighbours were too polite to tell Davis that the tree should be cut down.
One resident of the street who asked not to be named said: “The tree is a massive eyesore and it should be chopped down.
“I get sick and tired of seeing it every time I drive down the road. It looks like a giant version of a mouth waiting to gobble up people and cars, just like the Pacman video game from the 1980s.”
Another near neighbour who also would not be identified, described the tree as “that blasted thing.”
She said: “Nobody really likes it – but people are too polite to say anything. Apart from what it looks like, I worry about the roots and the possible effect on other properties.
“It hides a lot of light from the street light so it makes the pavement dark underneath. The people who live opposite have to put up with it being right in their faces.
“I would prefer to see it gone. The main thing is that it is not in my garden and I am far enough away that I don’t have to see it out of my windows.
“There have been reports about how it is cut into an unusual shape to allow buses to get past – but buses do not go up that side of the road. It is only lorries and cars.”
Peter, a former company director, said: ”The tree has become part of the local landscape – everybody knows about it – especially bus drivers who have to avoid it. But no-one has ever complained.
“I am quite happy to consider the views of the neighbours – but there have been no complaints so the tree didn’t cause a nuisance – so it is going to remain.
“If people were upset it might be different – and I wouldn’t want to fall out with my neighbours. But as things stand, most people seem to enjoy it- and children in particular love it.”
Neighbour John Moss said the tree had to be trimmed regularly, which costs £500 to get an arborist in.
Another resident admitted: “It is very unusual and it does stand out. Some people think it is a bit too much, but it doesn’t bother us.
“We know Peter and Lesley who have the tree because they run shuffleboard sessions in the town. They are a lovely couple.”
Other residents said they had no problem with the tree, and one admitted liking it as “a quirky feature of the street”.
The immediate neighbour who gave her name as Laura, 36, said: “We only moved here a few months ago, and we like the tree.
“We lived in Wymondham before moving here, so we had seen the tree before. Most people in Wymondham know about it.
“We only had to tell our friends that we were moving next to the big tree, and everyone knew where we were going. It makes the road more interesting.”
Mother-of-two Natalie Hinds, 35, who works as a part time receptionist and lives three doors down, said: “I never really think about it.
“The tree is always there, but I can’t see it from my house. It’s never been an eyesore or a problem to me.
“My boys like to look at it, and often say that it is an unusual shape.”
No tree preservation order has been taken out against the tree and Wymondham Town Council previously said that it had no comment.
Your rights with trees on your property
As the tree hangs over onto a footpath, Peter has to ensure the council is happy with the greenery, rather than a neighbour.
If a neighbour calls the council and complains that the tree is causing danger or is an obstruction then the council will carry out an inspection.
If they find a problem they will contact the landowner and ask them to arrange for it to be pruned or trimmed back.
However, if your neighbour asks to cut down your tree because they say it is blocking their sun, there are different rights at play.
In fact, they may be able to get your tree cut back if it is blocking light from passing through a window or glass door in your property.
Under the Rights of Light Act, if a property has received daylight for the last 20 years, it may be entitled to continue to receive that light.
There is also no specific limit to the height to which a tree is allowed to grow.
If a group of trees starts to form a vegetative screen blocking neighbours’ views then it could be a “High Hedge” issue, which the council and Planning Enforcement could get involved with.
The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 defines how high a hedge can grow under the law.
If the hedge is more than two metres tall then your neighbour can take action.