Lewis Hamilton wins council battle to chop down Kensington tree

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has won a battle to chop down a "beautiful" tree at his £18m west London mansion despite neighbours' objections.

Residents told Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) Council that Hamilton would be "destroying nature" if he cut down a sugarplum tree outside his home.

A report by Hamilton's tree surgeon said it was mostly dead and dying.

The council granted permission to chop down the tree and trim back a magnolia.

The F1 star's representatives told the BBC the "tree in question was one that Lewis particularly liked", but unfortunately the professional tree surgeons advised it should be cut down.

"As such, Lewis took advice to remove the tree and replaced it with an apple blossom cherry tree, which is very similar to the one removed."

Hamilton's Victorian house has a 200ft (60m) garden and a private driveway, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

LDRS said the Mercedes driver had a range of work carried out since he reportedly bought the property five years ago for £18m.

Metal gates and a wall were built outside the property last year to "improve the character and privacy of the building", a council planning report said.

The seven-time world champion previously won permission to trim back a horse chestnut tree, with the support of a neighbour who said it was attracting pigeons who left droppings in their garden.

Plans to demolish and replace an old summer house in Hamilton's back garden also angered local residents in 2020.

One neighbour at the time, who had lived in the area for 20 years, said Hamilton had bought the property in 2017 and had "never set foot in it", the LDRS said.