Stump grinding in Lichfield & Tamworth

On the Tamworth estates, most stumps are what's left of the trees planted when the houses went up in the 1960s and 1970s. Birch, cherry and conifer stumps sit in lawns and along fence lines in Stonydelph, Belgrave and Wilnecote. In Lichfield it is often a row of conifer stumps from a Leylandii screen in Boley Park or Streethay, or one wide ash or sycamore stump in a walled garden near the centre. On the village plots around Whittington and Hopwas the stumps are bigger, from old hedgerow oak and ash.

Branch and Bramble doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local stump grinding specialist who covers WS13, WS14, B77, B78 and B79, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.

What stump grinding costs in Lichfield & Tamworth

Prices are by the width of the stump measured across the cut surface.

A single estate birch or cherry stump is usually in the bottom band. A row of conifer stumps is where multi-stump pricing helps: two or three cost about 1.8 times the single price, and four or more about 2.5 times. An old oak stump on a Whittington plot is often over 60cm. If the tree is still standing, grinding at the same visit as tree removal costs £70, £100 or £150 by size. The stump grinding cost guide has more examples.

What pushes the price up here

• No side access. Compact grinders fit a standard side gate. Older Lichfield houses near the centre can have walled rear gardens reached only through the house. That, or a stump more than 20 metres from the van, adds around 15%.
• Hardwood and roots. Oak and other hardwoods take longer than conifer and birch. Big buttress roots at the surface add time.
• What's nearby. Stumps against a fence post, wall or path need more careful work. Buried stones and old fencing wire slow the job.
• Taking the chip away. Leaving the grindings to backfill the hole or mulch a border takes about £75 off. In Lichfield and Tamworth that's often worth doing, because the brown bin won't take them.
• Several stumps. About 1.8 times one stump for two or three, and 2.5 times for four or more.

What the brown bin and the tips will take

Grinding leaves a heap of wood chip mixed with soil. Lichfield and Tamworth share one waste service, run by Lichfield District Council, so the rules are the same in both towns.

The brown bin. The joint garden waste terms say soils, turf, rocks, stones, large branches and sawdust must not go in the brown bin. Crews won't empty a bin with them in it. Fresh grindings are mostly chip, soil and fine sawdust, so they are a poor fit.

Lichfield Recycling Centre. The Staffordshire County Council site on Witley Drive, off Trent Valley Road, takes domestic garden waste. Cars need no permit. A van, pick-up or trailer over 1.5 metres needs a free permit, which allows 12 visits a year. On the winter timetable, from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027, it is open 9am to 5pm Wednesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Trade loads. Staffordshire's recycling centres only take trade waste from Staffordshire businesses with a waste carrier licence. Traders' garden waste goes through a paid scheme, and sites can refuse trade waste when they are busy. That disposal cost is why taking the chip away isn't free.

East Tamworth. Tamworth Borough Council points residents on the east side of town to Lower House Farm recycling centre at Baddesley Ensor, in North Warwickshire, as their nearest tip.

Building near the stump, and replacement trees

Extensions. If you're clearing a stump for an extension, Tamworth wants trees within 15 metres of the building shown on the plans. It also warns that cutting roots can be damaging and needs consent. Grinding removes the stump but leaves the deeper roots to rot. For footings, stump removal may be needed instead. Our guide to tree roots and house foundations explains why.

Replacement trees. In Lichfield District, anyone who removes a dead or dangerous protected tree has to plant a replacement. Consent to fell a TPO tree can also come with a replanting condition. Check where the new tree has to go before the old stump is ground. Ask for a deeper grind if it is going in the same spot.

Council trees and pavements. Lichfield District Council manages around 30,000 trees and hedges in its parks and open spaces. Stumps and roots on that land are the council's, and you can report a district council tree online. If roots from a council tree are damaging your foundations or drains, Lichfield says to get a tree specialist's advice before asking it to consider removal. Roots lifting a pavement go to Staffordshire County Council, the highway authority.

What the job involves

1. Access and services. The specialist checks the route from the van and asks about drains, pipes and cables near the stump. See whether grinding can damage pipes and cables.
2. Cutting low and screening. Any tall stump is chainsawed close to the ground. Boards protect windows, cars and fences.
3. Grinding. The wheel is swept across the stump, working 15 to 30cm below the surface and out along the main roots.
4. Backfilling and clearing. The hole is filled with the chip and soil mix and raked level. The rest is left for you or taken away. Top with soil before turfing once it settles.