Thanks to your speed and generosity in donating last week we were able to make legal representations to the Parish Council before their full council meeting on 4th November in which they were planning to vote on a recommendation to fell the two oaks on Willow Drive.

We are delighted to say that this resulted in a change of heart by the PC and their insurer. At the last minute, the vote on felling was withdrawn from the agenda. At the meeting the PC Clerk explained that negotiations had taken place between the PC and their insurer Zurich and that "there is no longer a need to fell the oak trees".

Here is the Parish Council's statement in full:

"The third party has confirmed that underpinning works have commenced at (the property) ...this means that there is no longer a need to fell the oak trees, as the claimant has proceeded with an engineering solution designed to stabilise the property while retaining the trees in situ.

"We will now await a fully documented claim from the claimant's representatives. Once received we can review the position and consider whether there are reasonable grounds to defend the claim on the basis that the Council has acted reasonably in what have clearly been challenging circumstances.

In the meantime you can review the proposed tree felling from the Council agenda."

Our solicitor needs to swing into action again! Billingshurst Parish Council have sprung a meeting on us next Wednesday when they want to vote to fell the Oak Trees on Willow Drive. This is despite the fact that extensive remedial work is being carried out on the extension in question - a tacit admission that the subsidence was caused by the extension's lack of foundations rather than trees. No other house in the proximity of the trees has been affected by subsidence. Please donate so that we can call on the help of our solicitor to avert this threat before Wednesday 4th November.

Dear Supporter

There's a reprieve for the Billingshurst oaks while the Parish Council reconsiders – you have made it possible!

Save Billi Oaks are pleased to report that at its last meeting on 5th November, Billingshurst Parish Council voted to defer felling the two oak trees on Willow Drive, while they obtain further information. Councillors were convinced by the case made by our solicitor Richard Buxton in which he highlighted the lack of sound evidence to justify felling the trees lawfully. 

Our group also provided evidence that there are likely to be bat roosts in the trees, destruction of which would be a criminal offence (without a proper bat survey and, if evidence of bats is found, permission from Natural England). 

At the meeting, we made it clear to Billingshurst Parish Council that if they voted to destroy the trees, our group would use every means at our disposal to challenge this decision.

We are grateful to Richard Buxton, who has worked above and beyond, to help us convince the Parish Council to reconsider.

A resident has generously agreed to fund a proper arboricultural report for the Parish Council to consider. The draft reports points out all kinds of issues that need to be addressed.

There will still be legal work needed to help the Parish Council consider the matter in the ways we believe it should, and if you can give further support, please do. We are not at the stage of a court case and hope that can be avoided, though if it were to happen it has the potential to be an important case nationally.

With huge thanks and love

Save Billi Oaks!

What we’ve achieved so far…

We raised enough money to instruct Richard Buxton Solicitors to write to Billingshurst Parish Council explaining why felling the trees would be unlawful. This convinced the Parish Council to defer felling while they take more legal advice themselves. Without that help, our trees would now be stumps - felling had been planned for 18 September.

We explained that the Parish Council had been taking the wrong legal approach, and among other things pointed out that alternative solutions had not been investigated properly and that the monetised value of the trees was huge – over £300,000 – which should be considered in working out the appropriate way forward. The damage complained of was minor, such as merited merely decorative works. Felling trees like this would be wholly disproportionate. 

We have also taken the matter up with Horsham District Council which for similar reasons wrongly, we say, gave permission for the trees to be felled despite the Tree Preservation Order in place protecting them. 

Why we still need your support

This is great news but the two magnificent oak trees in Billingshurst are still at high risk! We still need your support: please donate and share this page now!

We have raised over £2,000 but we need to keep Richard’s expert legal advice available to allow us to work with the Parish Council to find a solution acceptable to all parties, including the affected homeowner, that avoids cutting down these trees. Please donate generously so we can at least reach our stretch target. We hope the Parish Council will agree and the matter will be resolved amicably, but we need to be continually vigilant and able to act quickly with the lawyers.