Our green and peaceful parkland setting is a major part of the desirability of our homes. Maintaining this, for members’ enjoyment and to preserve the value of our homes, is the key mission of the Management Company. All owners make a legally binding pledge in their Deeds of Covenant to observe some modest restrictions to help maintain the appearance and character of our development.
The Woods
The mature trees of the old St Audry’s Hospital grounds and the ancient woodland of Hospital Grove are part of the attractive setting of the Melton Park Development. We all share ownership and responsibility for these trees through the Management Company.
MPMCL’s aim is to maintain the woods to provide safe and enjoyable access for residents, with equal respect to tree health, conservation, and the environment.
All significant trees on the development are covered by the 1997 St Audry’s Tree Protection Order (TPO No 106) which can be examined on East Suffolk Council's website. Any surgery undertaken on these trees must be done in consultation with the Management Company, and with ESC’s Tree Officer.
Any protected trees on freehold properties are the responsibility of the land owners.
MPMCL employs professional surveyors to inspect the communal trees on the estate. Each year the needs and priorities of one third of the estate are identified, which sets the annual work programme for our woodsman, Jason Roberts. Jason also makes a monthly inspection of all our trees for any emerging health or safety issues, such as through storm damage. The rolling survey programme has been going for some years now and the amount of maintenance has progressively reduced. The has allowed MPMC to put more resources into improving the woodlands environment by clearing undergrowth and coppicing, by planting new trees where gaps have developed and by keeping footpaths open through the winter by laying wood chips.
Living on Melton Park means living in close proximity to mature trees. Often these overhang our properties. Residents are encouraged to inform MPMC where they see trees which appear to be a threat to themselves, their property, or others. Every enquiry received will be investigated and action will be taken on MPMC-owned trees where appropriate.
Tree Policy – Executive Summary
1.0 Melton Park Management Company (MPMC) Responsibilities
1.1 MPMC is responsible for maintaining a large number of trees throughout the neighbourhood of Melton Park. These are distributed across a variety of environmental types including woodlands, amenity open spaces, verges, green lanes and landscape strips. A proportion of the trees are in the vicinity of dwellings, access roads and formal footpaths. Consequently, they have a notable influence on the residents, visitors and service agencies. Other trees are more isolated from the developed area of Melton Park but still need management to ensure their long-term retention.
1.2 The Tree Policy understands the benefits that trees bring and provides a framework for transparent decision-making by considering the legalities and responsibilities that come with owning and maintaining trees.
1.3 The policy only applies to trees within the management responsibility of MPMC. Other third party and privately owned trees will be the responsibility of the individual owners themselves who are thus obliged to seek the relevant statutory permissions for works and must fund any operations themselves.
2.0 Primary Aims
2.1 MPMC has four primary aims with regards to the management and maintenance of its tree stock:
- Reduce, and maintain at as lower level as reasonably possible, the risk from the existing tree stock to persons and property.
- Preserve the existing tree stock.
- Enhance the existing tree stock.
- Comply with legal obligations.
2.2 Intervention will only be undertaken when there is a genuine and justifiable benefit to be gained from an arboricultural perspective that complies with one or more of the four primary aims.
3.0 Tree Inspection Methods
3.1 MPMC inspects all the trees that it owns or has maintenance responsibility for on a cyclical and systematic basis. This is undertaken by competent and qualified arboriculturalists who report their findings to MPMC including the specification and priority of any works required.
3.2 MPMC may also receive requests to comment on or inspect individual trees outside the parameters of the systematic inspection method, (eg a sudden change in condition through disease or storm damage). As a result, MPMC will make decisions based on the available information as to the priority of investigation and response.
4.0 Method Of Determining Priority Of Arboricultural Works
4.1 MPMC does not have unlimited financial resources available to address an indefinite volume of works. Therefore, MPMC has determined that arboricultural works will be categorised and prioritised in accordance with the Primary Aims (item 2.0).
4.2 Health and safety and legal obligations must always be addressed as MPMC’s highest priority. Insurance indemnification is next in priority and involves managing the trees in a manner that reduces and ideally prevents any damage to neighbouring persons or property. Beyond this comes necessary maintenance, followed by non-essential maintenance, and lastly, pure aesthetics.
4.3 MPMC has no obligation, no mandate and no resource to address other perceived issues and associated work requests. Typical individual requests often involve the following:
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- Blocking light to a neighbouring structure or neighbouring land.
- Issues associated from roosting bird droppings.
- Intense shading of a neighbouring structure or neighbouring land (excluding
obligations under the High Hedges legislation);
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- Leaves falling within private land or affecting structures (gutters);
- Fruit falling within private land.
- Perceived negative effects of Aphid drip (honeydew).
- Interference with television reception (terrestrial, digital, satellite, etc.).
- Perception of “oppression” from large or dominant trees.
- Tree retention, maintenance or new planting schemes to provide “privacy”.
- Obscuring of private CCTV security systems.
- Allergies associated with trees, for example pollen and seed dispersal.
This list is not exhaustive and should not be treated as such. Furthermore, works to abate the above issues will not be undertaken by MPMC unless they coincide with either the routine planned maintenance programme, or any legal obligations as defined in the four primary aims. This remains valid irrespective of any willingness to pay.
5.0 Tree Removals
5.1 MPMC will only fell trees for sound and justifiable arboricultural reasons that comply with the primary aims detailed at item 2.0. Typical permissible reasons to permit felling would be:
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- Dead, dying or dangerous trees,
- Trees causing significant structural damage,
- Specimens considered by the appointed arboriculturalist to be inappropriate species for the location.
- Specimens considered by the appointed arboriculturalist to be culturally damaging to neighbouring trees.
6.0 Protected Trees
6.1 Any tree works subject to legal constraints, i.e. Tree Preservation Orders or Felling License, will be subject to approval by East Suffolk Council or the Forestry Commission under the relevant legislation
The above policy is an "Executive Summary", if you are keen to view the entire document please follow this linkPriority_of_Works_Appraisal__.pdf
Tree Policy Framework Tree_Policy_Framework__0.pdf
The Grounds
The grounds were professionally landscaped by Hopkins Homes, and there are many lovely open spaces and walkways through the development. Hopkins Homes retains responsibility for the planted square off Clements Road which faces their HQ in Melton Park House.
MPMCL aims to maintain the remaining grounds in good order for the benefit of all residents, and to maintain the desirability of our homes as a parkland development. The Management Company periodically uses a landscape consultant to review our needs, but we have a regular grounds maintenance contract with RSC Ltd. Robert Cuthbert cuts the grass, trims hedges and maintains the planted areas around our estate.
Roads, Lights and Drains
St Audry’s Park Road and the first part of Garrod Approach are adopted roads maintained by ESC. There are also some lanes and car parking areas that are covered by freehold titles and are the responsibility of the owners to maintain. But most of the roads, foot paths, street lights and drains are part of the “landscaped open spaces” and managed by MPMCL.
We have a maintenance contract for a monthly visit to check and repair street lights, and the roads are swept by ESC under contract to MPMCL. The sweeps take place toward Christmas and in the New Year to clear the fallen tree leaves. The drains and gulleys are also sucked to keep them clear.
Play Areas
There are two play areas around the estate with equipment suitable for a range of ages. These are subject to annual inspection to maintain our safety certificate. The smaller site for younger children is in Garrod Approach and the larger area, recently refurbished for older children, lies between Scott Lane and Thomas Churchyard Close.
Currently the third play area in Calder Road is closed. It is under consideration for a change of use following a consultation with the shareholder membership and discussion at both the 2017 and 2018 AGMs.
Following the 2018 AGM discussion, this play area was taken out of use in February 2019 and will be converted to a “quiet garden area”. Final plans are under discussion.
Ball Games: In order to preserve the Parkland amenities, the covenants on our homes prohibit ball games and noisy play in the open spaces, but there are many excellent play areas and sports facilities in Melton and Woodbridge.
Parking
There are parking areas designed into the development, but some of these are not entirely convenient and residents, visitors, and business clients sometimes crowd the upper end of St Audry’s Park Road and the edge of the roundabout. This can cause limited visibility for drivers forced onto the opposite side of the road by parked cars, and caution and low speed are advised. Parking in St Audry’s Park Road closely adjacent to the junction of Clements Road can also impede vision.
Residents are reminded that St Audry’s Park Road is an adopted highway and that parking on the roundabout itself, and close to its exits, is subject to road traffic legislation. In that regard persistent offending may lead to police advisory notices or the issue of Fixed Penalty Tickets.
We appeal to residents living on or near to the roundabout to park with consideration and be good enough to advise their visitors regarding these issues.
Please also avoid parking on any of the soft verges adjacent properties, which produces lasting damage.
Dogs, litter and refuse
Most dog walkers these days are in the habit of picking up after their dogs, and we have three Fido Bins conveniently placed for walkers and where the Council can access and empty them. However there is no-one to pick up in the remaining open spaces of the development and we would be grateful if all residents could play their part in helping to keep them clean and taking litter home or putting it into a nearby bin if you see it.
ESC collects refuse and recycling materials on an alternate weekly schedule, currently collecting on Wednesday mornings.
