ALARM Tree root seminar - 26 April 200613.30 Andrew Plunkett, BLM

14.00 Chris Robbins, RBKC

14.30 Pat Robson, John Chick and Partners

15.00 Coffee

15.20 Chris Neilan,DC

15.50 John Parvin, Zurich Insurance

16.20 Questions and answers

17.00 Finish

commercial dispute resolution human resources insurance media & technology public sector property transport

Tree root subsidence

26 April 2006

Andrew Plunkett

Solicitor, BLM London

Basic requirements Ownership by claimant

Control by LA

Four elements of nuisance Tree roots intrude

Cause damage

Reasonably foreseeable

Tree maintenance

Cause damage… Paterson v Humberside 1995 –

substantial and effective cause

Loftus-Brigham v Ealing CA 2003

Delaware Mansions HL 2001 – damage to load-bearing qualities of residential land

NoticeDelaware Mansions

Lord Cooke: ‘the defendant is entitled to notice and a reasonable opportunity for abatement before liability for remedial expenditure can arise’

Jones v Portsmouth CA 2002 – 3 months sufficient notice

Kirk v Brent CA 2005 – formal notice not necessarily required

Defences in practice Tree causing damage Mitigation – pruning, barrier, removal etc Ownership, control Foreseeability Maintenance Contributory causes of damage Reasonable notice Limitation

TPO claims Statutory liability TCPA 1990

Lands tribunal

ALARM protocol Helping LA’s to manage the claims

process

Approved by the LTOA