Telford residents win battle to chop down protected tree and other Telford & Wrekin planning matters

Wellington residents have won their battle to chop down a giant tree that was dropping branches on their bungalows.

Tree owner Jonathan Rickell took Telford & Wrekin Council to a planning appeal after it refused permission to take the axe to the wellingtonia which dates from the year 1882.

Government planning inspector Elaine Benson visited Lindfield Drive, on October 3 to see the scene of the 21m tree.

It is covered by a preservation order and the council considered that its removal would harm the way the area looks. The inspector agreed but said this was outweighed by the historic and likely future damage to nearby property resulting from limb failures.

It can be seen from far and wide but sits only metres from bungalows and has a history of limb failure where damage has been reported.

A 92 year old resident had told the council during planning consultation in May, 2026, about having a “very close escape when a branch fell by my front door and almost hit me."

In a decision announced on Thursday, November 11, the inspector said normally there would be a "strong presumption against the removal of a healthy, protected tree, particularly when that tree is as prominent as the wellingtonia."

But they said it has a "long history of limb failure and reactive pruning and regrowth which includes a long-standing failure at the top of the canopy."

Overall the inspector judged that even though the removal would result in "significant harm to the visual amenity of the area" its removal is justified.

"It has been satisfactorily demonstrated that the risks can no longer be appropriately mitigated through arboricultural management options that comply with current best practice professional standards."

Mr Rickell and the council will have to agree to plant a replacement tree before it is chopped down.

But the inspector said its replacement would not be another wellingtonia which would be a more appropriate species for planting in a public park.

The following planning applications have this week been validated by Telford & Wrekin Council. To see the full details search for the reference on the council's planning website.

TWC/2026/0814: Certificate of Lawfulness for the remaining unbuilt elements of change of use from open land to provide area for green burials and fencing); Land rear of Castle Green Cemetery, Beech Road, Ironbridge.

TWC/2026/0820: Crown lift by 2.5m and pruning of lower branches by 4m to one Red Oak tree; Nursery Gardens, Roden, Telford.

TWC/2026/0821: Single-storey front, side and rear extension, two porches, a detached garage and new access with gates and rendering of whole property; Halcyon, Heath Lane, Ellerdine, Telford.

TWC/2026/0823: Change of use from mixed commercial to residential and alterations to existing frontage; 120 High Street, Wellington.

TWC/2026/0825: Change of use of existing offices to micro-restaurant and existing carpet showroom to car storage and distribution hub; 18 & 20 Market Street, Wellington.

TWC/2026/0827: Vehicular access; Nightingale Way, Apley, Telford.

TWC/2026/0829: Entrance gate, replacement of garage doors, and installation of 42 solar panels on the roof of existing garage; Tithe Church Court, Kynnersley, Telford.

TWC/2026/0830: Single-storey side and rear extension; Roden Lane, Roden, Telford.

TWC/2026/0832:Two internally illuminated fascia signs; Unit 5, Southern Quarter, Southwater Way, Telford Town Centre,.

The following planning decisions have been made by officials at Telford & Wrekin Council this week.

TWC/2025/0274: Excellency Midlands Ltd, Stafford Park 6, Stafford Park, Telford; Continuation of use of site as an exhibition and banqueting hall with amended hours of operation, erection of service corridor, change of use of first floor from offices to exhibition and banquet hall and associated facilities, new external fire escape bridge and staircase, formation of permeable parking area, change of use of garage to temporary chef accommodation, installation of 15 solar photovoltaic arrays and insulated metal panels to roof; Granted.

TWC/2026/0637: Land adjacent Rodenhurst Broiler Units, Rodenhurst Lane, Rodington Heath, Telford; Agricultural workers dwelling; Granted.

TWC/2026/0678: Site of Rodington House, Rodington, Telford; Conversion of an existing agricultural barn into one dwelling, single-storey front extension to facilitate the creation of a car port, installation of four roof lights, windows and doors, one air source heat pump, two flues and one pedestrian gate; Granted.

TWC/2026/0696: South View Road, Little Dawley, Telford; Boundary fence; Granted.

TWC/2026/0703: Ellerdine, Telford; Single-storey rear extension and one rear dormer window (retrospective); Granted.

TWC/2026/0732: Peregrine Way, Apley, Telford; Rear and side veranda; Granted.

TWC/2026/0735: Grove Street, St George's, Telford; single-storey rear extension to the existing garage, replacement of existing single-storey side extension, part conversion of existing garage to habitable accommodation, and part infill of the existing front roof terrace; Granted.

TWC/2026/0742: Deansfield, Kynnersley, Telford; Felling of one plum tree; Granted.