Villagers protest as insurer seeks to fell 200-year-old oaks in West Sussex

Two of three oak trees planted during the reign of George III face being felled after an insurance company said their roots caused subsidence to a nearby house, prompting protests in the West Sussex village of Billingshurst.

Insurance firm AXA has sought permission from Billingshurst Parish Council to remove the pair of 90-foot trees known locally as the Billingshurst Sisters after Horsham District Council lifted a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) and granted permission for the trees to be felled. The parish council, which owns the land where the oaks stand, is due to consider the application at a meeting on Sept. 15, 2025.

AXA told the council that the trees’ roots had caused cracks and subsidence to an extension of a house built in the 1980s and that removing the trees was necessary to protect the homeowner’s property. An AXA UK spokesman said the company recognised the ecological importance of trees and green spaces but that it owed its customer “to find a solution which protects their home.” The homeowner declined to comment.

The proposed removal has drawn sharp criticism from residents and campaigners, who say the insurer has not sufficiently investigated other possible causes of the subsidence, such as shallow foundations or construction factors. More than 2,500 people have signed a petition launched by Gabi Barrett to save the oaks; Barrett said the trees are “vital to the community’s ecosystem” and accused AXA of pressing a “flawed and unacceptable” plan to cut the trees to settle a claim.

Local residents described the oaks as long-standing landmarks. David and Ruth Evans, who have lived in Billingshurst for 35 years, said they were “stunned” by the decision to allow felling. Councillor Colette Blackburn, Horsham District Council’s cabinet member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, wrote to AXA asking it to reconsider, noting the trees’ age and potential to live for several more centuries if preserved.

Campaigners said the case exemplified a wider pattern in which insurers and councils make decisions that prioritise short-term property liability over long-term environmental and community benefits. A Freedom of Information request in July showed that English councils allowed about 1,000 trees to be felled despite previously having TPOs between 2019 and 2024, a figure advocates say reflects growing pressure on local authorities concerned about liability for property repairs.

Horsham District Council confirmed it had removed the TPO and granted permission for felling; Billingshurst Parish Council will make the final decision for the trees on land it owns. Local campaigners and several councillors have urged the parish to oppose the application and to explore alternatives such as targeted root management, underpinning of foundations, or other engineering solutions that would avoid removing mature trees.

Environmental campaigners noted the broader ecological services provided by mature oaks, including biodiversity support, flood resistance and carbon sequestration, and warned that removal of veteran trees reduces community climate resilience. Residents recalled using the trees’ canopy as shelter during school cricket matches and described the oaks as contributing to local wellbeing and landscape character.

AXA said these cases are often complex and concerning for communities but emphasised its duty to customers. The company did not disclose technical details of the subsidence assessment it used to determine the trees were the cause. Parish council members have said they will hear evidence at the meeting and balance the owner’s rights, insurer’s position and community and environmental concerns before making a decision.

If the parish council approves the removal, tree felling would proceed under the permissions already granted; if it refuses, AXA and the homeowner may pursue other legal or engineering routes to resolve the subsidence claim. The outcome in Billingshurst is likely to be watched by other communities and councils confronting disputes where property damage and veteran trees intersect.

The parish council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 15, 2025, when councillors are expected to vote on whether to authorise the removal of the two oaks. Opposition groups said they would continue to press for solutions that protect both the home and the trees.