Midlands Street Where '18 Houses All Have the Same Issue' and 'People's Lives Are Suffering'
Residents of Newark Road in Netherton, Dudley, are reporting that their homes are being severely damaged by tree roots, with claims that the issue affects all 18 houses on the cul-de-sac. Homeowners, council tenants, and private renters alike say the roots are undermining foundations, causing walls and floors to shift, and leading to large cracks, blocked drains, damp, and mould problems.
'People's Lives Are Suffering'
Martin Smith, chairman of the Newark Road Tenants Community Group, expressed the emotional toll on residents. "People's lives are suffering, it is turning them upside down," he said. "There were people who were tearful when we met the other morning. We are getting nowhere, it is never ending. The council has told people they can't buy their properties because of the issues. Communication is very poor, the issues are getting worse and we are getting very little answers."
Some residents have been informed that their homes may become unsafe, potentially forcing them to move out. Smith noted that tenants first raised the problem with Dudley Council in 2009, with a housing officer visiting the street, and the latest meeting occurring in August 2025.
Homeowner's Lifetime Investment at Risk
Homeowner Qaisar Shoaib highlighted the financial impact, with gaps opening between his conservatory and house. "A lot of words but no action; when we want to sell our house the survey won't pass, it's our lifetime investment," he said. "It plays on our minds, it's an impact on our future."
Residents report that the trees were planted by the council around 40 years ago, and branches now extend across gardens, exacerbating the issues.
Resident's Account of Worsening Conditions
Rita Clarke, 72, who has lived in her council home for 34 years, described a range of problems. "It feels like they are passing it on, one to another," she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. After calling the council, she said, "They sent one of their quick response vans – lovely lad but it was like sending a bricklayer to do brain surgery. He had a look at the cracks and said 'I will plaster them', I said 'I don't think so, plastering over the cracks'."
Clarke noted that cracks have spread from tiny lines noticed two to three years after moving in to gaping holes in every room. "The crack is in the big bedroom, there is a great gaping hole. When my daughter moved in just over a year ago they put plaster over a crack that was there, that's all come out – you can put your fist in it," she added.
Additional Issues from Trees
Beyond structural damage, Clarke mentioned other nuisances: "Every autumn you get seeds blowing everywhere and new shoots springing up in the guttering, they are everywhere. When you go outside it tends to be very slippery, we have to be very careful. My neighbour puts her washing out and the pigeons s*** all over it."
After her garden began dropping toward a neighbour's lower garden, Dudley Council built a retaining wall. However, Clarke reported ongoing movement: "After that I had the garden slabbed – nice and level. Where the wall has been built the slabs are dropping so there is movement down there."
Council Response
Councillor Ian Bevan, Dudley cabinet member for housing and homelessness, stated: "Housing services do not have any recorded historical concerns about structural issues with properties on this road. However following recent contact from the ward councillor we are arranging a visit to the area, with appropriate specialist support, to investigate these issues further. Information gained from these investigations will be discussed with residents and will be used to inform any future required works."
The situation remains unresolved, with residents calling for urgent action to address the damage caused by the council-planted trees and restore safety to their homes.
