Trees

Tree safety notice - Sudden Branch Drop Syndrome

Some incidents of Sudden Branch Drop have occurred in the borough during the June heatwave. Tree branches can break off and fall to the ground unexpectedly. It typically occurs during warm weather.

Our commitment to public safety

  • Our qualified Tree officers carry out regular inspections of parks trees and highway trees. Any necessary work for public safety are issued to our Tree contractors. We suggest residents avoid sitting, playing, or gathering under large trees in the park.

Trees we manage

We manage trees on council land, including:

  • streets and pathways
  • parks and open spaces
  • allotments and woodlands
  • cemeteries.

Trees on private land and in gardens

We do not maintain trees on private or unregistered land, or in council tenants' gardens. You may prune overhanging branches from a tree in a neighbour's property. If a tree is covered by a TPO or in a Conservation Area, you must get permission before doing any work to it. A TPO is a Tree Protection Order and it protects certain trees. For details of contractors who can carry out tree work, see a list of local tree surgeons.

Trees on public land and on streets

We prune shrubs and trees on a regular basis. This ensures our parks and paths meet health and safety standards. You can tell us about overgrown shrubs online. We do not carry out unnecessary pruning of the trees.

Trees will only be pruned if it's essential or advisable. You can tell us about a hazardous or dangerous tree online.

Trees on estate land or in communal areas

If a nearby tree is causing structural issues, email housing.residentservices@harrow.gov.uk.

When emailing about a tree, please include:

  • any images
  • the location of the tree(s)
  • details of the problem it is causing.

Damage caused by trees on public streets

If you think a public street tree is dangerous, contact our Insurance department. This includes cracks in walls or the land around the property.