Telford residents win battle to have 144-year-old giant tree felled after close escape for neighbour, 92

Residents in Wellington have won their battle to have a 21-metre giant sequoia felled after a 92-year-old neighbour narrowly escaped being hit by a falling branch.

The 144-year-old wellingtonia, dating back to 1882, stands just metres from bungalows on Lindfield Drive and has a history of dropping branches, causing damage to nearby properties.

During a planning consultation in May 2026, the elderly resident told Telford & Wrekin Council they had a “very close escape” when a branch fell beside their front door and almost hit them.

Tree owner Jonathan Rickell appealed to a government planning inspector after the council refused permission to remove the protected tree.

Following a site visit on October 3, inspector Elaine Benson ruled in favour of its removal, concluding that the risk of further damage to neighbouring properties outweighed the tree's visual and historic value.

She acknowledged that felling the prominent tree would cause “significant harm to the visual amenity of the area” but said its long history of limb failure meant the risks could no longer be adequately managed through pruning or other tree-care measures.

Mr Rickell and the council must agree on a replacement tree before it can be felled. However, the inspector said it should not be another wellingtonia, suggesting the species would be more suitable for a public park.