Front wall over tree roots

[virgilns]

Good afternoon all.

I have a puzzle for you - need to build a front garden wall...three brick pillars, one at each end and a central piller all two bricks sqaure

Then I'd like 5 ot 6 courses of full brick, then plinth bricks with a half brick wall above this capped with bull nose contrasting colour brincks. ALl good..

however, I have a large tree outside the house and it's roots have lifted the pavement to the degree that the council have (in the past before we bought the house) lifted the slabs and replaced with asphalt type covering.

I've spoken to the council and they have no plans to remove the tree for safety resons (a few near me HAVE been taken down as unsafe) so guess I have tio build over the tree roots.

Is the best thing to do do build a shallow arch as the footing course and then build a straight course after that with shallow cut bricks?? I;d liek to build a wall that stands a chance of still being there in a few years time...

If anyone knows if I have the right to force the council to remove the tree then I'd love to hear how

Thanks,

Virgil..

 

[theoldun]

Is the house rented or is it your own?
Is the tree in your front garden or on public foot path.?
What specie of tree
oldun

 

[virgilns]

Edited to add - it's my house and bought - not rented...

Hi - the tree is in the pavement next to the road. so on council property.

Not sure on type but I can have a google...Its a big leafy one, not a connifer type...proper tree shape like an Oak tree if you know what i mean (but not actually oak)..does that make a difference then?

 

[loply]

I guess there's only so much you can do?

Dig the founds as deep as you can get them, maybe make some 'pile' type elements inbetween any big roots which you can't cut through, I suppose you could even add a little concrete lintel over any big roots...

Bottom line if there's a massive tree growing right next to your wall it's always going to be somewhat difficult. Even if they cut the tree down there'd be movement in the soil for a while after.