We’re furious after giant trees that grow to 150ft were planted on street by council – they block light & destroy drives
FAMILIES have blasted a council over monster trees from California growing on their tiny street in Luton.
Locals say the Redwoods are relatives of the biggest trees in the world and could grow as big as Nelson’s Column.
The mega shrubs are already blocking out light to homes - while the huge roots are pulling up homeowners’ drives.
Residents on Moira Close want council bosses to remove them before they ‘destroy’ the road.
And they have slammed them for being “stupid” enough to plant the rare American species on a residential street in the UK.
One local said: “They are already 50 feet and they go to 150 feet.
“What is more frightening is that according to the council, these are just babies.
“They are growing like triffids. They have been planted on the grass after the house were built . We think about thirty years ago.
“What possessed a numpty at the council to plant these trees in a small close like this?
"Someone decided we have got some spare trees, let’s plant there here. But these are ones you get in bloody great big forests, not in a little close.
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"These trees have gone bonkers. If Luton council don’t do something about it they are going to trash the drains."
Alan Reynolds, 64, said the roots of the redwood outside his home are lifting his paving and heading towards the front door of his £300,000 1950s semi.
He said: “I asked Luton council to come down to look at the damage and they put some tarmac over the crack in the pavement.
"The roots are still going towards the house and are forcing up the slabs on my property.
“We have lived here for 32 years and this has suddenly happened. The trees were half the size a little while ago.
Another resident Sue Keenan, 65, said: “I have lived here 30 years. I remember them being planted, but I don’t know when it was.
“They suddenly shot up. When they were first planted they were skinny little things.
“The council should take them I am worried about the roots coming under the house. They are just in the wrong place. We need smaller trees. “
The Redwoods can grow to more than 100ft - with their cousins, Giant Californian Redwoods, capable of reaching 400ft.
The trunks can grow to 30ft in diameter so residents fear the trees, will end up in their homes.
It is thought the trees may have been planted up to 30 years ago - with families speculating that the wrong saplings were put in by mistake.
'UP TO 167ft'
Expert Kieran Barnes-Lucas, who grows Redwood trees at his Lancashire-based nursery, Yarrow Gardens, said the trees can grow up to 167ft in height.
He also warned the largest recorded diameter is 7.2ft across. He speculated the species on the street could actually come from China.
Mr Barnes-Lucas said: "They were quite a common choice for councils to plant in the late 80s/90s. I’d guess these ones are 20 to 30 years old."
The street has complained to Luton Borough Council, which is now investigating what to do about the evergreens.
A Luton Council spokesman said: “We have inspected the trees and can confirm that they are Redwoods.
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“They do not need any works at present but we will be inspecting the footway there next week to make an assessment of any root damage.
“While we cannot confirm who planted these trees, they are not a type of tree that we have planted on highways elsewhere.”
