Tree Surgeon in Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton
Looking for a tree surgeon in Hinchley Wood or Long Ditton? We’re based in Hersham, a short drive away, and we work across both, from the roads around Hinchley Wood station down to Ditton Hill and the river.
Most of Hinchley Wood was built in the early 1930s, with deep plots, grass verges and street trees, and Long Ditton is largely interwar too. So plenty of gardens here have trees that have had ninety-odd years to grow, usually on London Clay and often closer to the house than anyone planned.
Crown reduction, deadwooding, felling, stump grinding, hedge cutting and 24/7 emergency call-outs. BS3998 standards, NPTC qualified, fully insured, free written quotes.
Our Tree Surgery Services in Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton
- Tree Pruning & Crown Reduction – Improve shape, light, and safety.
- Tree Felling & Removals – Safe dismantling in confined spaces.
- Stump Grinding – Stumps ground out below ground level and the hole backfilled.
- Hedge Cutting & Maintenance – Regular trimming for neat boundaries.
- Emergency Tree Work – 24/7 call-out for storm-damaged or fallen trees.
Your Local Tree Surgeons in Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton
Trees That Have Outgrown Their Gardens
When these roads were built, someone planted a cherry, a birch or an oak in the front garden and a few conifers along the back fence. Ninety years on, a lot of those are the biggest things on the plot, hanging over roofs, lifting paths and taking the light from the garden.
On clay, a big thirsty tree near a house can also dry the ground enough to cause movement. That isn’t a reason to fell every large tree, and taking one out of clay can cause problems of its own, so it’s not a decision to rush.
What we do about it
Usually it’s a managed reduction or a crown lift rather than a felling, repeated every few years so the tree stays in proportion. Where a tree genuinely has to go, we dismantle it in sections so nothing lands on next door, and grind out the stump so you can use the space.
And the everyday work: front hedges, leylandii along the back fence, and the fruit trees nobody has pruned since they moved in.
Long Ditton Conservation Area
Long Ditton has one conservation area, designated on 23 November 1994. It covers the old village around St Mary’s Church and churchyard, taking in parts of Church Road, Ditton Hill, Woodstock Lane North, Love Lane and Church Meadow. Hinchley Wood doesn’t have one. Elmbridge explains the rules in more detail on its protected trees page.
What that means for your tree
Inside the boundary, any tree with a trunk over 75mm diameter at 1.5m from the ground needs six weeks’ written notice to Elmbridge before any work, pruning included. A tree with a Tree Preservation Order needs formal consent wherever it is, Hinchley Wood included. Working on a protected tree without permission is a criminal offence.
Elmbridge’s online TPO map shows both. Or ask us. We check before we quote and handle the paperwork if it’s needed.
Stokes Field, Ditton Common and Ash Dieback
Stokes Field in Long Ditton is a Local Nature Reserve of woodland, grassland and a pond, with Ditton Common close by. Elmbridge has been carrying out woodland work on both, including felling ash affected by ash dieback at Stokes Field.
Ash in your garden
Ash dieback is now found across most of the country. Affected trees die back from the crown and can develop damage at the base that weakens the trunk. If you have an ash with thinning, dying branches, get it looked at before the next storm season.
Roadside trees are Surrey County Council’s, and trees on the commons are Elmbridge’s. We only work on privately owned trees, but we’ll point you to the right people for the rest.
Oak Processionary Moth in Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton
Elmbridge says oak processionary moth is established across the whole borough, and lists Ditton Common and Weston Green among its hotspots. Both were on the council’s spraying programme in 2026. On private land, dealing with it is the owner’s responsibility.
Between roughly May and July, look for caterpillars moving nose-to-tail up and down oak trunks, and white silken nests where branches meet the stem. The hairs cause rashes, eye irritation and breathing problems in people, dogs and horses, and old nests stay hazardous long after the caterpillars have gone.
Don’t try to remove a nest yourself and never pressure-wash one, as that spreads the hairs. Keep children and dogs away from the tree, photograph it from a safe distance and send it to us. Identification is free, and we’re Lantra trained for removal.
Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton, in Short
- Local to Hinchley Wood and Long Ditton, based a short drive away in Hersham
- Interwar gardens with trees that have outgrown them are a big part of our work here
- Long Ditton’s conservation area and any TPOs checked before we quote
- Lantra trained for OPM removal, with Ditton Common one of Elmbridge’s hotspots
- Fully insured, NPTC qualified, all work to BS3998
- Free, written quotes. The price we quote is the price you pay
Tree Surgeon in Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton: Common Questions
Do I need permission for tree work in Long Ditton or Hinchley Wood?
Only if the tree is protected. Long Ditton’s conservation area around St Mary’s Church needs six weeks’ notice for work on trees over 75mm trunk diameter, and any tree with a TPO needs consent. We check before quoting.
My tree has got too big for the garden. Do I have to fell it?
Usually not. A crown reduction or crown lift, repeated every few years, keeps most garden trees in proportion and lets in more light. We’ll tell you straight if a tree has reached the point where removal makes more sense.
Who looks after the street trees?
Roadside trees are Surrey County Council’s responsibility. Report a problem through their highways service on 0300 200 1003 or online. Trees on Elmbridge land, like the commons, go to Elmbridge’s tree risk team.
How much does a tree surgeon in Hinchley Wood cost?
It depends on the tree, the access and what’s underneath it. A hedge trim is a very different job to dismantling a big oak beside a house. Quotes are free and in writing, and the price we quote is the price you pay.
Are you insured?
Fully: public liability and employers’ liability, with certificates sent before we start if you’d like them. Ask any tree surgeon for theirs.
What happens to the waste?
It goes with us. All arisings are handled in accordance with our Duty of Care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and transferred only to appropriately licensed facilities. Timber can be left cut to size for firewood if you want it. Just say when we quote.
Areas We Cover in and Around Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton
We cover Hinchley Wood and Long Ditton, including Manor Road North, Claygate Lane, Ditton Hill, Church Road and Woodstock Lane, along with Thames Ditton, Weston Green, Claygate, Esher and Surbiton.
We’re across the rest of Elmbridge daily: Hersham, Walton on Thames, Cobham, Weybridge and East Molesey, plus Kingston.
Not sure if we cover your postcode? Give us a ring and we’ll tell you straight away.
Contact Your Local Tree Surgeon in Hinchley Wood & Long Ditton
Give us a ring on
07522 167 197 or 020 3488 8694
for a free no-obligation quote. Or fill in the form below and we’ll get back to you, usually the same day.