The Council looks after and is responsible for a number of formal amenity areas, public open spaces, playgrounds, allotments etc. throughout the Town.
Tree Work Policy – Revised 1st April 2018
1. We are in a very fortunate position to live and work in the New Forest area, with thousands of visitors flocking to the region each year to appreciate the lush, picturesque landscapes that surround us. New Milton, Barton On Sea and District also benefit from many specimens of tree that have been standing for hundreds of years, far outdating some of the housing in the town.
2. The Town Council is a major landowner in the town which incorporates approximately 20,000 trees. As landowners responsible for trees, we have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to people or property. To fulfil this, Town Council trees are proactively assessed on a cyclical basis through a Tree Management contract with New Forest District Council. We have prioritised categories of sites as below (para 8) and their Arboculturist inspects the sites and advises us of the work necessary.
3. Pruning can reduce a trees amenity value and cause damage which could lead to decay or disease. A trees value is not only aesthetic, collectively they also;
- Control storm weather, reducing the risk of flooding
- Conduct the capture and storage of carbon dioxide
- Increase sense of well being
- Buffer cold winds, therefore lowering heating costs
- Remove air pollutants
- Provide wildlife habitats
- The presence of trees can add 5-15% to the value of property, up to 27% to the value of undeveloped land.
4. Works instructed by New Milton Town Council will only take place in the following circumstances;
- As part of our Tree Management contract with New Forest District Council
- Statutory works to maintain clearances for paths and roads
- To prevent foreseeable injury to persons (assessed by Town Council with NFDC).
- To prevent foreseeable damage to property (i.e overhanging roof of house/outbuilding. Subsidence concern must be first addressed to your house insurance company who will contact us directly).
- To improve the growth to other trees
- To reduce or prevent the spread of disease or other works in the interests of good tree management.
5. This policy supersedes any previous arrangement of tree maintenance of Town Council land. If the advice is to fell a tree for one of the above reasons, the Town Council will adhere Replacement Policy.
6. Circumstances where the Town Council will not prune or fell trees include;
- Overhanging branches
- Loss of light
- Loss of TV reception
- Nuisance from fallen leaves, twigs, cones etc
- Honeydew drip, deposits such as bird droppings
7. Things you can do:
Trees are covered by Tree Preservation Order or in a Conservation Area
Neighbours must seek consent for the work from the local Planning Authority. The Tree Team for the whole of New Milton is based at the New Forest National Park Authority, contactable on 01590 646620.
Trees that are not covered by a Tree Preservation Order or in a Conservation Area
Neighbours have a right in common law to prune overhanging growth back to the boundary line. Please see next paragraph regarding the arisings from such pruning.
In both circumstances
Although the land we own is public open space, residents cannot enter the land to carry out works to trees without Town Council consent. If employing the services of a contractor for pruning, the tree surgeon will only be able to prune from your side of the boundary. If they require access to the Town Council side, they must contact us to provide a copy of their Public Liability and Health and Safety policy documents, as we have a duty to safeguard others using the land. If a residents actions/instructions leave a tree in such a condition that works are needed to make it safe, or damage or injury is caused, they are likely to be liable. Any works should be kept to an absolute minimum. Arisings remain the property of the tree owner and by law should be offered back. It is the Town Council’s policy to decline their return and therefore any arisings should be disposed of appropriately and not be deposited over the boundary. This can damage trees (preventing root access to air and water), can make tree assessment more difficult (important defects may be invisible beneath piled up arisings) and can also lead to damage of boundary fences. In most cases, it is acceptable to appropriately dispose of arisings, by being taken off site to the green waste area at your local amenity site or removed by your contractor.
8. Tree Management Cyclical Inspections
The highest risk areas as assessed by our contractor, will be subjected to annual inspections. This means that there will be partial inspection i.e War Memorial – Recreation Ground – the trees near the children’s play park will be inspected annually, the rest of the trees are inspected within the regime below.
Click here to view the land parcels map. The numbers on the plan refer to the deed numbers on the table below.
2018/19
| Deed | Site | Notes |
| 2 | Ashley Sports Ground | |
| 3 | Former playground, Lower Ashley | |
| 12 | Willowdene Copse, Ashley | |
| 15 | Lower Ashley Allotments | Allotment Site |
| 17 | Faircourt, York Avenue | |
| 18 | Lymington Road Allotments | Allotment Site |
| 32 | Carrick Way, Ashley | Woodland |
| 37 | Carrick Way / Caird Avenue | Same area as 32 |
| 41 | Ashington Park |
2019/20
| Deed | Site | Notes |
| 1 | War Memorial – Recreation Ground | High use park, memorials |
| 4 | Lens Café (Old Milton Green) | |
| 5 | Barton Common | |
| 6 | Long Meadow | |
| 20 | Fawcetts Field | Including Football Club |
| 24 | Rear of Western Avenue | Lots of Large Pines |
| 25 | Becton Lane Allotments | Allotment Site |
| 30 | Moores Close Field | Part of Fawcetts Field |
2020/21
| Deed | Site | Notes |
| 7 | Great Ballard Lake | High use – dog walkers |
| 27 | Chatsworth Park | |
| 35 | Fernhill Lane | North of Ballard Lake |
| 36 | Fernhill Lane Sports Ground | |
| 38 | Deer Park Estate | |
| 43 | Ballard Meadows | |
| 44 | Stem Lane | same area as 38 |
| 47 | Marryat Road play area |
2021/22
| Deed | Site | Notes |
| 8 | Brook Lane | Opposite Ballard Lake |
| 11 | Oakwood Avenue, Ashley | |
| 13 | Upper Ashley Allotments | Allotment Site |
| 14 | Middle Ashley Allotments | Allotment Site |
| 16 | Fernhill Lane | |
| 19 | Danewood Estate (extra) | |
| 21 | Danewood Estate | |
| 26 | Hollands Wood Drive | Part of Daneswood Estate |
| 28 | Cull Lane | Part of Daneswood Estate |
| 33 | Fernhill Lane | Same area as 16/42 |
| 42 | Forest Oak Drive | |
| 45 | Earlswood Park |