Friday 24 June 2022 02:30 PM Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page allowed to prune tree just weeks after Robbie ... trends now
Veteran rocker Jimmy Page has been given permission to prune a tree in his garden – just seven weeks after his neighbour Robbie Williams was refused consent for similar work.
The legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist and the former Take That singer have been at loggerheads for years over Williams’ plans to build a mega basement under his mansion.
MailOnline revealed in April that the Angels singer had lost a planning battle to drastically cut back a protected 80ft tall Robinia tree at his £17.5million home.
But Page, 78, had more luck with council officials when he applied to trim an outsize bay tree in the front garden of his own Grade One listed Gothic mansion in west London.
In contrast to his rival Williams, the Stairway to Heaven guitarist was given consent to ‘reduce and shape’ the crown of the ornamental tree by up to one metre.
Page had to apply for permission to do the work as his tree is subject to a Tree Preservation Order and his home is in a conservation area.
Singer Robbie Williams wanted to cut back this large 70 ft tree outside the front of his west London mansion but was banned. But now the Led Zeppelin guitarist has been granted permission, fuelling their long term feud
Robbie Williams, pictured with his wife Ayda Field, wanted to trim the tree outside his house down to three feet but had the application refused
Mr Williams claimed the tree is causing his boundary wall to crack putting it at risk of collapse. The council suggested Mr WIliams could rebuild the wall giving giving the tree more space to grow
Officers at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea approved the project under their delegated powers after ruling it was simply ‘routine maintenance’.
Page’s agent who made the application on his behalf confirmed in paperwork that the tree was not diseased and presented no subsidence risk to the property, drains or driveway.
Amanda Reid, director of Planning and Place at the council, ruled that the consent was valid for two years and was only a permit for ‘one pruning operation’.
She advised in her decision letter: ‘No works should take place on Sundays and noisy operations unless essential should be avoided on Saturdays.’
Ms Reid also stipulated that Page still had to follow rules under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act meaning that he could not do anything which risked damaging a habitat for any bats or birds, or their nests.
MailOnline revealed in April that the same council officer had refused Williams’ application to cut back the height of his giant Robinia tree to just one metre.
The singer had argued that the tree was partly rotten and damaging his garden wall.
But the council refused permission for the work on the protected tree, saying he had not provided evidence of the ‘extent of decay’.
Page did not lodge any objection with the council to Williams’ plans for the tree. It was reported in March that he was actually supportive of the application and appreciated that the tree needed to be trimmed.
Similarly, Williams submitted no objection to the council over the guitarist’s proposal to prune his bay tree.
Ms Reid, who approved Page’s tree pruning plan, ruled that pollarding Williams’ Robinia to a height of one metre would just allow it to grow back.
She argued that the singer could instead have his garden wall rebuilt to give the tree space to grow without causing more damage.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, pictured, was given permission to prune the tree as a 'one off maintenance'
Robbie Williams claimed that decay was visible at the base of his tree but still had his application refused. Mr Page did not argue that his tree was diseased, but was still allowed to
