Tree worth £500,000 'discovered'

The council said the true value of a tree was the pleasure it gave

A tree in Surrey has been valued at £500,000 by the county council.

The Oak in Weybridge has been assessed according to its size, health, history and how many people live nearby.

The tree is thought to be about 300 years old but Surrey County Council said it would not be able to get an exact figure without damaging it.

Under a new valuation system brought in by the authority, the link between high value trees and subsidence must be proved before they can be felled.

Trees are often cut down after being blamed for subsidence, when other factors may be responsible.

'Pleasure it gives'

David Munro, of Surrey County Council, said: "We initially applied the process for its intended purpose of saving trees from being removed, as a response to subsidence claims.

"But in the wider context, establishing a tree's value is useful to aid decision-making, such as when existing trees are under pressure from development."

He added: "We would not be surprised if we find a more valuable tree than the Weybridge oak. However, the monetary value of a tree is not the most important thing.

"The real value is its history and contribution to the environment and the amount of pleasure it gives our residents, which is considerable."