NEARLY two-thirds of compensation claims for damage caused to homes by trees in Cheshire East are in Crewe.

More residents in the town than anywhere else in Cheshire East borough have laid down claims against the council claiming their properties are affected by subsidence damage caused by trees growing on pavements and public highways.

But Cheshire East Council has paid out no compensation over the last five years to any householder with some residents citing a lengthy battle to get the authority's highways department to accept responsibility for a catalogue of structural issues such as cracked ceilings and walls, raised paving stones and movement of walls.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by Crewe West councillor Connor Naismith, who has taken up the cases of affected residents in Gainsborough Road, revealed there are 33 open claims relating to allegations of damage by highways trees across the borough.

But 21 (64%) of them are in Crewe with the next highest number of claims being made in Macclesfield, but only four in total, and then Alsager and Wilmslow (3).

The council has confirmed that it has paid out no compensation for damage or injuries in the last five years.

Cllr Naismith believes the numbers of claims in Crewe could be the tip of the iceberg, with many more people hit by the problem caused by spreading root growth, but without having mounted legal action.

Now he is urging residents to start making claims if they have evidence their properties have suffered as a result of unchecked tree growth.

He believes the council is prepared to allocate a budget to "pollard" (cut back and prune) trees, potentially in Gainsborough Road, which would help stop their growth - although it will come too late for those residents who have suffered substantial damage.

"I have been told the borough council are identifying some money that could potentially be used for 'pollarding' and I think we could see some cutting back of the trees done in Gainsborough Road," said Cllr Naismith.

"It would be a big step in the right direction, although it won't do much for those who have an ongoing claim for subsidence."

Residents claim the damage has left them unable to market their properties.

Gainsborough Road resident Dave Woolrich says he has abandoned decorating his three-bedroom home because the cracks have become so bad.

He is still waiting to hear about his claim, which he made against Cheshire East Council more than three years ago.

Cllr Naismith is critical of the authority's tree management strategy and says cutting back appears to be done on an "adhoc basis" around town.

"It is a problem for a significant number of people in Crewe. If residents are seeing damage occurring then they should make a claim as early as they can," he said.

"You have to bear in mind it is not just the numbers of people [from the FOI request] who have made a claim because we know there are people who are experiencing the same problems but haven't pursued it."

Cheshire East Council has said claims are being dealt with by the authority's insurers and it is unable to discuss individual claims.