Music icon Sir Paul McCartney has been instructed to plant a new tree in his luxurious St John’s Wood residence following a disagreement with a neighbour. Last year, the legendary musician sought approval to remove two sycamores from his £10 million central London townhouse, citing their decline. However, Reinhold Meinen, an adjacent property owner, raised concerns about the health of the trees in a council objection, casting doubt on their alleged illness.
Meinen, a conservative activist and investor who bought the neighboring property for £14.4 million in 2024, prompted McCartney to revise his plans. The updated proposal now includes trimming one sycamore by 1.5m and felling another. Tracy Darke, the director of town planning and building control at Westminster City Council, gave the green light for the tree works but recommended replacing the felled sycamore with an Acer davidii (Père David’s maple tree).
Acknowledging the approved works within the St John’s Wood Conservation Area, Darke advised McCartney to consider planting the suggested replacement tree. In a separate incident, the musician was obliged to remove a diseased Catalpa from his London property after fungi decay and selective delignification were discovered in the tree trunk base.
Catalpa, also known as the Indian Bean Tree, is a favored choice among UK garden enthusiasts, thriving in various soil conditions but not ideal for windy or hard-paved areas. McCartney had previously submitted plans for tree maintenance on several other species in his garden, including lime, holm oak, birch, hornbeam, and sycamore trees, all of which were approved.
Given the conservation status of the trees on his property, McCartney must obtain permission for any tree-related activities. This requirement stems from the area’s conservation regulations that tightly control development. McCartney had faced opposition from local authorities in the past when seeking to trim trees in his garden due to insufficient details provided in the application.
Despite past setbacks, McCartney’s later application to remove four additional trees, including an evergreen magnolia, Chinese privet, yew, and holm oak, was granted approval. The renowned musician, who acquired the three-story residence in 1965 for £40,000, transformed it into a hub for The Beatles, hosting meetings before and after recording sessions at the nearby Abbey Road Studios.