F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton in tree row with neighbours at £18 MILLION mansion

F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been criticised by his London neighbours over the trees in the back garden of his £18 million mansion.

According to the Daily Mail, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council have approved plans to fell two apple trees in the champion’s back garden after he submitted a planning application and complained they were 'poor specimens'.

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The application also asked for permission to prune back a lime tree and a magnolia because they were ‘encroaching’ on nearby buildings; but Hamilton’s plans to curtail the flora in his back garden have been met with opposition before.

In 2022, Hamilton came under fire from local residents after he axed a sugarplum tree from his garden, although the champion delivered a report to the tree surgeon that revealed the tree was mostly dead.

Sources told the Mail that ‘he was fond of the sugarplum tree but as it was dying he has had it replaced with a similar-looking apple blossom cherry tree.’

However, this did not prevent a neighbour from protesting, who said: “These trees are in a conservation area and their removal will be detrimental to Kensington and London in general, which is suffering from increasingly worse air quality.

"I strongly advise the council to reject this frivolous application, which is without merit.”

Why has Hamilton felled his apple trees?

Amanda Reid who is the director of planning and place at the council, revealed why they decided to fell the trees, stating that the pruning of the lime tree and magnolia were for routine maintenance and that the apples trees lacked any value.

As a result of the felling, the council ask that two small replacement ornamental trees should be planted instead, with a Japanese maple or a Amelanchier recommended by the council.

The latter tree - also known as a shadbush - helps promote biodiversity with the berries providing food for birds and wildlife, whilst the white blossoms act as a food source for pollinators, which is particularly important in urban areas where wildlife often lacks suitable habitats.

However, in a separate application to the council Hamilton also wanted to chop down an Amelanchier tree, and his team said that they were 80 per cent sure the tree was dead and in terminal decline.

The 40-year-old was also granted permission to trim a Horse Chestnut tree by two metres, which was supported by a neighbour who said the large trees can leave 'pigeon droppings' all over their garden.

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