Dangerous trees in the capital to be felled

Douglas City Council  granted licence on safety grounds

Up to 39 trees, located between Ballanard Field and the Baldwin Road bungalows in the capital, are to be removed and replaced after Douglas City Council was granted a licence on safety grounds.

The decision follows a series of detailed inspections and professional arboricultural assessments which identified the trees as presenting an ongoing risk to nearby homes.

Safety concerns first arose during severe weather in January 2025 when trees fell onto two bungalows on Baldwin Road, causing significant damage and placing residents at risk. 

The properties are occupied by residents who remain concerned about the potential for further incidents during high winds.

Stormy weather shortly before Christmas also led to additional emergency tree works due to the immediate danger posed to nearby homes on Baldwin Road and Norwood Drive. 

On that occasion, local authority staff placed themselves at personal risk in difficult conditions to make the area safe.

A licence has now been issued to remove the remaining high-risk trees and replant the area. 

The trees affected are predominantly mature conifer and pine species, which are shallow-rooted and become more vulnerable to wind damage as they age, particularly in exposed locations.

Douglas City Council recognises the importance of trees and green spaces to the local environment. 

As part of the approved works, the Council says it's committed to replanting on the same site, using species better suited to exposed locations and offering greater long-term stability. 

This approach, it adds, will ensure the area continues to benefit from tree cover while significantly reducing the potential danger to residents.

Chair of the Regeneration and Community Committee, Councillor Natalie Byron-Teare, says: "We want to reassure the community that we would not apply for a tree-feeling licence lightly but the safety and wellbeing of residents living in the area, and their properties, must be prioritised. 

"Following the incidents experienced during recent storms, it would be irresponsible not to act on the professional safety advice we have received."

Work is due to start on 2 February and is expected to take eight weeks. 

The replanting will be completed ahead of the spring.