Two large London plane trees are to remain in the car park of a Warwick club even though they are hampering attempts to deter fly-tippers and clamp down on anti-social behaviour

Bosses at the Nelson Club, in Charles Street, had wanted to chop down the trees because they blocked the views of CCTV cameras. There were also concerns that roots from the trees were damaging the car park surface.

A report considered by this week's meeting of Warwick District Council's planning committee explained that an arboricultural consultant had assessed the trees and found they would merit being protected by a tree preservation order [TPO].

It added: "The key issues to be addressed in deciding whether or not to confirm TPO are whether the trees are of sufficient amenity value and whether the public benefit afforded by them outweighs the inconvenience that may arise from obscured camera angles or damage to the car park surface.

"The trees are undoubtedly substantial, and their canopies of leaves should have been predicted to be a likely obstruction to CCTV lines of sight when the cameras were sited.

"The failure of the cameras to deter anti-social behaviours is a reflection of the siting of the cameras rather than the growth of the trees' crowns and canopies. Moreover, the trees are out of leaf for several months of the year when the days are short and when there might be an assumption that anti-social behaviours might increase and so their canopies would not obstruct the cameras during those months."

The report added that while photographic evidence showed damage to the car park, it was considered to to be minor.

Rob Young, the council's business development manager, said: "There may be some negative impacts as there often are with trees in close proximity to properties and hard surfaces but, given the positive contribution these trees make, it is not considered that they outweigh the positives."

Councillors voted unanimously to confirm the TPOs and Cllr Oliver Jacques (Con, Warwick All Saints and Woodloes) added: "These are an attractive addition to what is otherwise a nondescript urban setting."

(Image by Robin Stott via geograph.org.uk)