00642 Verges Booklet - Devon County Council

Council on the routes that are included in the Council’s ‘expert’
inspection programme. The council’s inspection is not intended to
relieve landowners / occupiers of their obligations in this respect.
Reports of potentially dangerous trees can be received from the public
and other sources.Where these are received an expert or other site
inspection will be commissioned and the appropriate action taken.
A potentially dangerous tree will be categorised from the inspection as
either:
● Imminent Danger’ requiring remedial action within 24 hrs and
spray paint marked with either – “ XX ” to fell or “ OO ” for
other remedial action.
● Urgent Attention’ requiring remedial action within 6 months and
spray paint marked with either – “ X ” to fell or “ O ” for other
remedial action.
For an ‘Imminent Danger’ or ‘Urgent Attention’ tree between the
highway boundaries, the remedial action will be commissioned by the
County Council.
In the case of an ‘Imminent Danger’ highway tree on private land
outside of the highway limits a letter will be fixed to the tree at the
time of inspection notifying the owner / occupier of the Council’s
intention to undertake the remedial action to maintain a safe
environment for road users. If the owner / occupier can be consulted
at the time of the inspection they will be handed the letter and given
the opportunity of undertaking the work if they so wish (in this case
the County Council will inspect the site within 5 working days to
check that the work has been completed). If the owner or occupier is
not present and the tree is in the grounds of a property, the letter will
be left at that property. However if the owner / occupier is not
consulted at the time of the inspection the County Council will
undertake the remedial work.
For an ‘Urgent Attention’ highway tree on private land outside of the
highway limits a letter asking for the owner / occupier’s remedial
proposals will be fixed to the tree at the time of inspection, with details