A "historical error" has been blamed after a tree fell in Gade View Gardens play area in Abbots Langley.
There were reports at the time of residents hearing a “whooshing and then a smash” as it fell onto Gallows Hill on October 31.
It led Jo Colledge-Miller, a member of the public, to ask Three Rivers District Council why it had not been “ensuring that the tree was being maintained and safe”.
Ms Colledge-Miller said the tree had written off a resident’s car and caused “significant disruption”.
“Luckily, there were no children in the park when the tree toppled over as they, or their carers, could have been seriously injured or worse,” she added.
Ahead of a full council meeting on Tuesday, December 9, Cllr Jon Tankard, lead member for sustainability, said the tree had not been listed in the council’s tree management database “due to an historical error connected to the land transfer of the playground from the original developer to the council”.
He continued: “This error has now been corrected, and as a precautionary measure all the council’s other play areas have been rechecked for tree safety and to ensure records are accurate.
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“The council has undertaken works to fell the remaining part of the tree to ensure the safety of its playground.
“It is fully acknowledged, without wishing to downplay the impact on the resident whose car was damaged, that this incident could have been much more severe.
“The council has an ongoing project, working with the Land Registry, to update the accuracy of land ownership records. This is a national issue and not unique to Three Rivers District Council.”
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