8 Hesketh Mews Meadfoot Sea Road Torquay TQ1 2LT Data via plota.co.uk

AT/2026/0175 - Works To Tree Within TPO Refused

Proposal

1x Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) Reduce the overall canopy of the tree as follows: Reduce the height of the tree by approximately 2.0 m, leaving a final overall height of approximately 10.0 m. Reduce the radial crown spread by approximately 1.50 m, leaving a final radial spread of approximately 5.50 m at all compass points. All works shall retain the tree?s main framework and natural form, maintaining a high proportion of the foliage-bearing structure. All final pruning cuts shall be made at suitable growth points in accordance with BS 3998:2010 Tree Work ? Recommendations. Crown lift all round by removing secondary and sub-lateral branch growth only, to provide a vertical clearance of approximately 2.4 metres between ground level and the lowest foliage tips, thereby achieving the desired clearance above the pavement and wall boundaries. Individual pruning wounds shall not exceed 40 mm in diameter. Tree Preservation Order/ Conservation Area Justification The proposed works are intended to provide long-term, sustainable management of this mature Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) whilst preserving its amenity value and natural form. The specified crown reduction is moderate in scale and will reduce the overall height by approximately 2.0 metres and the radial spread by approximately 1.5 metres, maintaining a balanced crown structure and retaining a high proportion of the foliage-bearing canopy. The works will improve natural light levels to the adjacent properties and garden areas, helping to reduce excessive shading without materially affecting the tree's visual contribution to the locality. The proposed crown lift to approximately 2.4 metres above ground level will provide appropriate pedestrian clearance over the adjacent pavement and improve clearance above the wall boundaries, reducing the likelihood of conflict between the tree and its surrounding built environment. All pruning works will be undertaken in accordance with BS 3998:2010 ? Tree Work ? Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

Received
23 Jul 2026
Refused
3 Sept 2026
Appeal
Not lodged

Refused on 3 Sept 2026 · Delegated · Last checked 6 Sept 2026

Site constraints 7

Lincombes conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Council document ↗
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 2
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Special area of conservation 259 m away: Lyme Bay and Torbay
Work nearby can need a habitats assessment.
Harm to a protected site is only accepted where there is no alternative and an overriding public interest.
Also on the record
4 listed buildings within 150 m; SSSI 244 m away: Daddyhole SSSI; Inside the Torquay built-up area; Tree preservation order 21 m away: Area around Meadfoot, Torquay.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 11 September 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
Torbay
Application type
Works To Tree Within TPO
Postcode
TQ1 2LT
Received
23 Jul 2026
Validated
23 Jul 2026
Ward
Wellswood
Case officer
Show
Decision
Part allowed/part refused
Decision date
3 Sept 2026
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show
Agent
Devon Tree Services

How this decision compares

Decided in 42 days from validation, 8 days faster than Torbay's median of 50 for tree and landscaping works. Refused, as 22% of tree and landscaping works here are.

98%decided within 8 weeks
78%approved
160decided in the last year

Plota live figures for tree and landscaping works decided by Torbay in the last twelve months, from validation. Torbay decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

Last counted 6 Sept 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15088485
Comments by
20 Aug 2026
Env. assessment
No
Torbay
Planning Authority Score
1.9/10
Poor
#276 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Torbay is one of the slowest councils in England for householder decisions, ranking #276 out of 296. 54% of applications have the time limit extended, above the 41% national average. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (90%) than the national average (90%).

Among the slowest councils in England
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Torbay decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
87%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #183 of 296
90%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #197 of 296
37%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #276 of 296
54%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #247 of 296
81%
Minor dwellings approved
53 decided (1-9 homes)
100%
Major dwellings approved
9 decided (10+ homes)
91%
Change of use approved
44 decided
529
Total decisions
68 refused in the year to March 2026