Three trees in a Crosspool garden were given protection orders by the council despite confusion over who lived at house.

Officers were sent by the council to assess the property in Moorbank Road, and trees, and deemed it unoccupied.

However two objections were made to the Tree Protection Order from co-owners of the house who dispute the fact that it is unoccupied or undergoing a change of ownership.

Vanessa Lyons, the community tree officer, said at a meeting of Sheffield City Council’s Highways and Planning Committee on April 30: “In this regard, the council was working in good faith with the information available to them at the time.

“Although it is accepted that the wording of the order could have been framed to indicate the impression that the house may be undergoing a change of ownership as opposed to stating that it was.” 

The owners of the house had claimed that they were not made aware of the order. But the council said that letters were sent out via first class post.

Ms Lyons added: “I am confident that we fulfilled our duty in order to make all relevant parties aware of the TPO.”

The granting of a Tree Protection Order would mean that any pruning or maintenance of the trees included in the order must be held subject to consent from the council.

Ms Lyons said there was no need for an immediate risk to protect the trees as the co-owners claim there is no imminent change in ownership of the property. 

The main reasoning for the order to be put into place is that the trees add to the symmetry of the surrounding area and the fact that the boundary wall was built with the trees integrated into it.

Ms Lyons said: “The trees offer a very high level of amenity to the surrounding area and while the house may not be undergoing a current change in ownership it has been stated that the house may change ownership at some point, as all houses must.”

A decision to grant a tree protection order was granted by councillors by unanimous vote.