YATE is set to lose an historic landmark tree over safety concerns.

One of the town’s magnificent sequoias, which stands by the cottage at the Ridge crossroads, at the corner of Station Road and Broadway, is to be felled next week.

The tree was investigated after it started losing branches. South Gloucestershire Council’s arboricultural officer found it to be diseased and unstable. Cllr Chris Willmore told the Gazette she is ‘heartbroken’ about the felling, but that ‘it’s got to happen’.

“This enormous tree – it is about 70 to 80 foot tall – is iconic for Yate,” she said. “It’s a prominent local landmark. Everybody knows it, it’s at one of the main junctions.

“It’s a major disaster, but it has to go.”

A spokesman for South Gloucestershire Council confirmed that the tree is due to be felled on October 24 and 25.

“This is because it is in significant decline and can no longer be retained in a safe condition.”

He added: “A letter has gone out to nearby residents to notify them of the tree removal.”

Cllr Sue Walker said: “This is very sad news, as this tree has been there for years and is an important part of the Station Road landscape.

“Our tree officers are very committed to saving trees wherever they can, but following a thorough investigation, they’ve recommended that this one has to come down.”

“Nobody’s happy about the felling,” Cllr Ruth Davis added.

"But if it isn’t done, bits will fall off and cause accidents.

“And with the stormy weather we’ve been having, there is a greater likelihood of that happening.”

The exact age of the tree is unknown, but it is believed to have been planted from 1853 onwards, probably at a similar time to that of those at Westonbirt and Tortworth Arboretums.

The house at the base of the trees was once the gatehouse for Ridge House, which was owned by the Burges family.

“The sequoia was planted by the Burges family, who were plant collectors. They travelled around the world and brought back different seeds,” said local historian Jim Elsworth.

“There are lots of different rather special trees dotted around the Ridge as a result. They are completely alien to the area and to natural English woodland.

"The unusual gatehouse next to the sequoia was built after a member of the Burges family returned from a trip to Europe.

"After visiting either Austria or Switzerland, he decided he wanted to build an alpine style lodge. He hired an architect to design one, based on his description. The end result is a mixture of styles and not quite alpine.

"Originally it marked the entrance to the main house, at the beginning of a long drive.”