MORDEN HALL PARK Morden Hall Road, Morden, Merton, SM4 5JD Data via plota.co.uk

26/TCA/1986 - Tree(s) in a Conservation Area Pending Consideration

Proposal

We have 4 ailanthus altissima that exceed 75mm in diameter (see map provided). This is an application to remove the trees due to the excessive spread of suckering across our meadows at Morden Hall Park. Ailanthus altissima is listed on the gov.uk invasive list and we are required to manage the spread. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
2 Sept 2026
Decision
Target date was 14 Oct 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicted a decision around 29 Oct 2026; it is now day 57.

Site constraints 14

Grade II listed: Morden Hall
List entry 1080905 · 4 m away · 2 more listed buildings within 150 m (2 Grade II)
Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show the other 2 with distances
Historic England ↗
Metropolitan Open Land
Green belt level protection inside London.
The London Plan gives Metropolitan Open Land the same protection as green belt: inappropriate development needs very special circumstances.
Registered park or garden: Morden Hall Park
Nationally designated heritage. Its significance and setting carry great weight.
Registered parks and gardens, battlefields, world heritage sites and protected wrecks are designated heritage assets: harm needs clear and convincing justification.
Historic England ↗
Wandle Valley 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 ↗
In flood zones plus climate change
Inside the extent flood zones 2 and 3 could reach with climate change: the Central allowance for the 2080s on rivers, the Upper End allowance for sea level rise to 2125. From rivers. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Councils use it to decide when a flood risk assessment and the sequential test are needed. It is indicative and does not show whether a particular property will flood.
Flood map ↗
Archaeological priority area
An assessment or field evaluation may be asked for before ground works.
The council or Historic England considers archaeology likely here. A desk-based assessment, and sometimes trial trenching, can be asked for with the application.
Air quality management area: Merton AQMA
The council has declared the area as failing an air quality objective.
Schemes that add traffic, parking or combustion plant are assessed against the area's action plan and may need an air quality assessment.
Council record ↗
Habitat network: Wood pasture and parkland
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Opportunity area
Where the London Plan expects significant growth.
Boundaries are indicative and the borough holds the detailed plan.
Also on the record
Flood defence 1 m away (natural high ground, designed for a 1 in 30 year flood); Inside the Merton built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 6a (excellent), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square; Priority habitat 23 m away: Deciduous woodland; Town centre 49 m away: Morden.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 17 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Transport for London (public transport access levels, Powered by TfL Open Data, OGL v3.0, contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025) 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
Merton
Application type
Tree(s) in a Conservation Area
Postcode
SM4 5JD
Received
2 Sept 2026
Validated
2 Sept 2026
Ward
St Helier
Case officer
Show
Target decision
14 Oct 2026
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show

Decision outlook

Day 57, past the statutory target. 97% of tree and landscaping works in Merton are decided within thirteen weeks, which runs to 2 Dec 2026; extensions of time are common, and the council need not decide on the day. Last seen undecided on 28 Oct 2026.

Day 571 days past the 56-day target
72%decided within 8 weeks
99%approved
687decided in the last year

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

Consultation & key dates

Statutory expiry
14 Oct 2026
Merton
Planning Authority Score
4.5/10
Below average
#173 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Other decisions

Merton ranks #196 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (92%) than the national average (90%).

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Merton decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
89%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #135 of 296
92%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #158 of 296
57%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #196 of 296
39%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #139 of 296
54%
Minor dwellings approved
82 decided (1-9 homes)
100%
Major dwellings approved
11 decided (10+ homes)
83%
Change of use approved
24 decided
1,079
Total decisions
115 refused in the year to March 2026