Anchor Stone Watcombe Heights Road Torquay TQ1 4SG Data via plota.co.uk

AT/2026/0229 - Works To Tree Within TPO Registered

Proposal

T1, T2 and T3 Ash: Fell to near-ground level without stump grinding, as this would risk damaging the roots of neighbouring trees within the G1. The trees show symptoms consistent with Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), including crown thinning, deadwood, and progressive structural decline. Several stems are heavily entangled with neighbouring trees, causing ongoing bark damage and creating points of infection and decay. The interlocking crowns prevent normal movement, increase mechanical stress, and raise the likelihood of partial or whole-tree failure within falling distance of the property boundary and adjacent structures. Given the combination of ADB infection, mechanical stress from entanglement, and progressive bark damage, removal is the proportionate measure to manage foreseeable risk in accordance with NTSG principles. Replacement planting is proposed as follows: Two native, small-to-medium trees will be planted within the garden boundary ? Field Maple (Acer campestre) and Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) ? each supplied in 10?12?L containers at a height of 1.5?1.75?m. Trees will be positioned to avoid conflict with buildings and the retained woodland canopy, staked and guarded, and maintained for a minimum of three years to ensure establishment. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

Received
24 Aug 2026
Decision
Expected by 19 Oct 2026

This application is under consideration - no decision has been issued yet. Plota predicts a decision around 13 Oct 2026, from Torbay's recent tree and landscaping works. Comments are open until 21 Sept 2026.

Comment on this application ↗

Site constraints 5

Registered park or garden 46 m away: Watcombe Park and Brunel Manor
Its setting is a consideration for work nearby.
Registered parks and gardens, battlefields, world heritage sites and protected wrecks are designated heritage assets: harm needs clear and convincing justification.
Historic England ↗
Also on the record
Tree preservation order 0 m away: Watcombe Park Area, Torquay; Conservation area 46 m away: Watcombe Park; 1 listed building within 150 m; Inside the Torquay built-up area.
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 4SG
Received
24 Aug 2026
Validated
24 Aug 2026
Ward
St Marychurch
Case officer
Show
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show

Decision outlook

Day 21 of the 56-day target. Torbay usually decides tree and landscaping works by day 50.

Day 2135 days to the 56-day target
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 7 Sept 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15174093
Comments by
21 Sept 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