Tree listing over River Sid gets clean bill of health

A listing tree has been given a clean bill of health after a resident voiced fears it could damage homes and block the River Sid.

No one owns the strip of land in Millford Road where the Monterey pine stands but the Environment Agency could intervene if it judges there is a flood risk, or Devon County Council could act if the tree threatens the highway.

East Devon District Council has assessed the tree twice this year after concerns were raised.

An engineer from the authority said: “Just because a tree is leaning doesn’t mean it’s a danger. The photos provided suggest that movement has occurred at some point in time but on our site visits there was no recent evidence of movement.”

Barrington Mead resident Julian King, who raised the issue, said he was pleased it had been looked into but his neighbours remain concerned and he will continue to monitor the tree.

He warned of a potential lawsuit if anything does happen.