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Aberdeen man locked in £6,000 repair bill row after tree destroys garden

Gordon Ledingham among broken chunks of metal, plastic and stone left strewn across his garden after Storm Arwen
Gordon Ledingham is rowing with Barratt after trees from the developer's land smashed up his garden in Storm Arwen. Picture by Chris Sumner

Nearly six months after wild winds wreaked destruction across the north-east, Gordon Ledingham is still bearing the brunt of Storm Arwen.

The 65-year-old has been locked in a battle over a £6,000 repair bill ever since a towering pine tree toppled into his “lovely and tidy” back garden on November 27.

Broken chunks of metal, plastic and stone were strewn across his property on Mugiemoss Road in Bucksburn, as many in the region feared for their lives and homes.

While his house survived the harsh weather “by an inch”, the boundary wall at the back of his garden suffered the most damage – and half a year later still remains in ruins.

Mr Ledingham is now fighting for compensation from Barratt Developments North Scotland, which owns the land – and the pine trees – on the other side of his property.

The tree toppled in Mr Ledingham's garden, almost touching his house
The tree from the developer’s land missed Mr Ledingham’s home “by an inch”. Image supplied.

‘All I want is for Barratt to admit responsibility’

Managing director David Palmer insisted they have already offered to repair the crumbling wall and are just awaiting confirmation from the client to carry out the work.

However, Mr Ledingham claimed the developer’s proposal to “knock down the deck and put all the stones on pallets” or put up a wooden fence instead of it is not viable.

He also accused the firm of causing even further damage to his property when they “dragged the fallen tree out” three days after the storm without his consent.

“I just came home to half a dozen guys taking the tree to bits in my own garden,” he said. “And that was without asking, or giving me a warning or a heads-up, nothing.

The destroyed wall, with rubble surrounding it.
The boundary wall between Mr Ledingham’s property and Barratt’s land remains in ruins six months on. Image by DCT Media.

“They kept saying they were removing it as a gesture of good will, while not accepting responsibility; and that it was an act of nature and I will need to claim off my insurance.

“And then they caused even more damage when they dragged the tree out.

“I accept it was an act of nature, but that tree should have been taken down prior to this incident in the first place.

“All I want from them is to admit responsibility and get somebody to fix the wall.”

Trees on Barratt’s land deemed ‘inappropriate’

In October, Barratt Developments North Scotland informed residents on Mugiemoss Road – including Mr Ledingham – that they intended to fell all of the trees on their land.

A letter sent by the firm stated that “the current height of the trees and their position near the boundary makes them inappropriate to remain as is and going forward”.

A destroyed greenhouse as a result of Storm Arwen
The tree crushed Gordon’s boundary wall, as well as two neighbouring gardens during Storm Arwen. Image by Chris Sumner/DCT Media

But Mr Ledingham claims the date for the operation was postponed numerous times until the “inevitable happened” and one of the trees fell and destroyed his garden.

He added: “It’s the lack of communication that’s frustrating me. For the last few months, it’s just been the same e-mails sent back and forward, or never answered, or people telling me they will phone back and never actually doing it.”

Developer to rebuild damaged wall

However, Mr Palmer stressed the trees were never considered to be a danger to any of the residents and said: “The trees were due for felling to improve the amenity of the new and existing homes within the development. At no point were the trees ever described as dangerous.

“Barratt met with Mr Ledingham on April 21 and offered to remove the damaged section of wall and rebuild a new one. We can carry out this work as soon as we receive approval from the customer.

“We have advised Mr Ledingham to contact his insurer about damage caused to his outbuildings due to the result of a storm.”

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