National Trust gets go-ahead to axe Avebury trees
14 trees will be felled or cut back after Wiltshire Council approved proposals by the National Trust
A number of trees face the chop in and around the historic village and standing stones of Avebury, after Wiltshire Council gave the National Trust the go-ahead.
The Trust’s countryside office applied to Wiltshire Council for permission to fell or cut back 14 trees in the conservation area. Permission was granted this week.
In the most dramatic case, an overgrown Leylandii will be felled to ground level before it causes further damage to a sarsen stone wall, the Trust says.
The tree – at Silbury House – is also overshading the garden and impacting the adjoining yew tree.
Meanwhile, a huge holly bush is blocking light to the same property will be reduced in size by a third.
Around the stones to the south of the village, an ash tree – which is suffering from Ash Dieback – continues to decline and will receive further pollarding, while the lower limbs of an ash and two beech trees on the boundary of the sports field will be removed to facilitate maintenance of the sports field.
In the grounds of Avebury Manor, a large limb which is in danger of falling will be removed from a mature sycamore, while a branch needs to be removed from a sycamore overhanging the village car park before it splits from the trunk.
At the Lodge, an overgrown goat willow that is pushing against a historic brick wall will be cut back, while dead wood will be removed from four lime trees that form a column north of the village.
And at the Trust’s staff car park, squirrels have damaged the crown of a field maple. The charity hopes pollarding will save the tree.
The trees form part of the village’s Conservation Area.
Avebury is the UK’s only village enclosed by a stone circle.
Avebury henge and stone circles are managed by The National Trust on behalf of English Heritage, and the two organisations share the cost of managing and maintaining the property.
The Trust, which is headquartered in Swindon, also owns and manages Avebury Manor, the Great Barn, and the Alexander Keiller Museum.