Paul McCartney's garden plans hit a snag over neighbour's tree suspicions

Paul McCartney garden plans face council scrutiny

Paul McCartney's garden plans at his St John's Wood townhouse have been scaled back after a council dispute involving a suspicious neighbour. According to NME, the Beatles legend submitted an application in late 2025 to remove two sycamores from his £10 million London property, with his legal representatives arguing the trees were "in decline" and that felling them would give space for an adjacent hornbeam to grow.

The neighbour steps in

The objection came from Reinhold Meinen, a conservative activist and investor who bought his neighbouring house for £14.4 million in 2024. Meinen told the council he was "suspicious if those trees are fatally ill," prompting a review of McCartney's original plans.

Following the pushback, the plans were amended. Under the revised proposal, one sycamore would be cut back by 1.5 metres and the other felled entirely. Tracy Darke, director of town planning and building control at Westminster City Council, confirmed there were "no objections" to the revised works, but encouraged McCartney to plant a replacement tree, suggesting an Acer davidii as a potential option.

The specification was formally amended on 3rd February 2026.

A separate diseased tree

In a related matter, McCartney also applied to remove a diseased Catalpa from his back garden. His representatives noted that "fungi decay" had been found at the base, with an investigation uncovering "selective delignification" in the trunk base and potentially on the roots. That application was also approved.

Because the property sits within a conservation area, McCartney must seek permission before carrying out any tree work on site. He originally bought the three-storey home for £40,000 in 1965 and moved in the following year. The house is within walking distance of Abbey Road Studios and was reportedly used for Beatles meetings.

What's next for McCartney

Garden disputes aside, McCartney is preparing to release his new album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane on May 29. The record is described as a personal reflection on his early years in Liverpool, previewed by the singles 'Days We Left Behind' and 'Home To Us.' The latter features his former bandmate Ringo Starr, along with Sharleen Spiteri of Texas and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders.