Community Triumph in Protecting Historic Yew Trees
Residents of a wealthy street in Andover, Hampshire, are celebrating after successfully preventing their neighbour from removing two protected yew trees from his £1.4 million home. The trees, which stand over 30 feet tall, were set to be cut down to make way for new construction and additional parking at the front of the property.
The decision has been met with widespread approval from the local community, who believe that the trees are an essential part of the area’s character and history. Neighbours have expressed their delight at the outcome, stating that many people in the street and nearby areas had voiced concerns about the potential loss of the trees.
Peter Sykes, the owner of the property, has not lived in the house for the past five years and it has reportedly been left empty. The home has been in his family since the 1960s, and some neighbours have called for him to sell it to someone who can restore the plot. It is believed that Polish contractors have been living in the house while carrying out maintenance work.
Last year, Mr Sykes caused outrage among his neighbours when he received approval to build a new house in his garden in Winchester, Hampshire, in May 2025. This came with the condition that the trees would be preserved. However, he later challenged the council’s decision regarding the trees, which was ultimately rejected by the planning committee.
The application sparked major upset among residents, who claimed that the property had been left in disrepair. They accused Mr Sykes of manipulating the planning process and failing to engage with the local community. Despite never having lived in the four-bedroom property, it is believed that he still hopes to reside there one day.
The £1.44 million home is located in a district of the cathedral city, which is one of the first conservation areas in the country. Fifteen neighbours submitted objections to the plans, arguing that the removal of the trees would negatively impact the ‘quaint’ and ‘quirky’ nature of the area. They also raised concerns about parking on the narrow street if further work was carried out, as there is limited space for lorries to turn.
Retired lawyer Nick Page, 69, who has lived next door with his wife since 1994, expressed his happiness with the decision to preserve the trees. He said: “I am very happy to say that everybody in the road and surrounding roads are delighted about the planning committee’s decision to confirm the tree preservation order on the two yew trees.”
He added that the community values the character of the conservation area, including the mature trees. “It would have been a travesty if the planning committee had permitted these trees to be taken down, after they had granted planning permission for a new house,” he said.
Peter Moir, 78, who has lived opposite the house with his wife since 1992, also welcomed the outcome. He said: “We were delighted with the outcome. We were all delighted with the decision to make permanent the provisional TPO on the two Yew Trees on the new development.”
Mr Moir noted that the decision was based on the amenity value of the trees. “It was causing a lot of concern to a lot of people both in the street and nearby,” he added.
Industry manager Liam Kilpatrick, 55, who has lived next door since 2002, highlighted the importance of the trees being protected. “I think it is more about the principle that they are protected and therefore it should not be honoured,” he said.
He criticized Mr Sykes for not engaging with the community and for failing to maintain the property. “He has run it into the ground. He has been very irresponsible. It is rather sad really,” he said.
