A PROTECTED ash tree in “very poor condition” can be completely removed, a council has agreed. 

Homeowner Peter Ward asked Monmouthshire council for permission to remove from the tree from his garden at Woodfield House, Prysg Wood Lane in Llanishen near Chepstow as it is “in very poor condition due to ash die back disease with branches already having fallen off.” 

He said falling branches are likely to damage cars on the driveway as well as the garage roof and said if the tree falls “it would most likely land on house, garage or public highway”. 

His application said there are currently two “pending or recently approved” applications for felling ash trees in the area and ash dieback has been identified on several more trees within Llanishen. 

The visual impact of removing his tree would be “negligible”, said Mr Ward, as there are nine sycamore trees, of similar height to the ash, and four mature birch trees within 12 metres of it. 

A HOMEOWNER has been given the go-ahead to reduce the size of an ash tree in his garden that may be at risk of falling. 

John Hurst asked Monmouthshire County Council for permission to pollard the tree in the garden of his home in Fosterville Crescent within Abergavenny’s conservation area to within seven metres of the ground level. 

He said the tree is suffering from stage two ash die back disease and as it overhangs Belmont Crescent  the “risk to the highway and neighbours needs to be reduced”. 

PLANS to alter a conservatory so that it’s enclosed and forms a lounge area can go ahead, a council has said. 

Momouthshire County Council confirmed the glazed roof and walls of the conservatory of the two storey detached house on Main Road, Portskewett could be replaced under permitted development rights and didn’t require planning permission. 

The council said the issues it had to consider were its size and scale in relation to the part of the house it would be extended from, that it is no more than four metres long and high, and that it doesn’t cover more than 50 per cent of the garden curtilage.  

PLANNERS have given permission for a replacement roof on a single storey house near Glascoed. 

The existing cedar shingle roof on the home named Sandys on Glascoed Lane is described as “breaking down and leaking” with shingles coming off during high winds. 

Applicant Deborah Millar said the new roof would be “an improvement on the visual appearance of the property with the added benefit of making the property warmer and safer”. 

Monmouthshire County Council’s biodiversity officer had no objections after a bat survey was submitted and the application has also proposed four new bird boxes that planners were satisfied are “appropriate ecology enhancements”.