Winchester Developer's Tree Tussle

0:00On April 7th, a property developer in Winchester Hampshire has filed plans to chop down two protected Utrees right in front of his 1.4 million pound home. These 30-foot giants are over 60 years old and covered by a tree preservation order, but Peter Sykes wants them gone to build a new structure and add parking spots. Last year, Sykes got the green light to squeeze a house into his garden, but only if he kept those trees intact. Now he's back at it, pushing to remove them despite past council rulings that saved the pair before. The home sits in a historic conservation area, one of the country's first. Neighbors are fired up with 15 objections pouring in. They call it a travesty, saying the trees anchor the quaint Victorian street vibe and are in great shape. Folks like 78-year-old Peter Moore and 69-year-old Nick Page accuse Sykes of letting the place fall apart, dodging the community, and always chasing the cheap fix. The house has been in Sykes's family since the 1960s, but he lives in Andover and has

1:03it made it a permanent spot in years. It's had tenants, including Polish contractors for repairs, turning heads and fueling gripes about five years of messy work next door. Councils will decide soon on these plans amid the backlash as locals push for Sykes to sell up and let someone restore the plot properly. Stay tuned for how this tree tussle shakes out in the neighborhood.