Haringey Council has pledged to protect a 120-year-old oak tree that generations of Scouts have played under from being felled.

And the Scout Association now says it applied “in error” to lift a tree protection order (TPO) on the Bounds Green oak after the insurance company of a householder suffering subsidence called for its removal.

The oak is in the grounds of the Bounds Green Scout Park Campsite and Activity Centre in Woodfield Way. Loss adjuster Crawfords, acting for insurers RSA, has submitted expert reports saying its roots are damaging part of a nearby house.

The Scout Association’s U-turn came after the Ham&High contacted the organisation pointing out that the 9th Muswell Hill Scout Group, which uses the site, called for an independent report before the “very valuable tree” could be cut down.

Haringey Council pledged to protect the tree after reaching a legal agreement in a court case involving a Stroud Green plane tree it initially tried to fell at the request of insurance companies.

A Scout Association spokesperson said: “We are working to retain the trees at Scout Park as they are part of what makes the site so important. The application to remove the trees was submitted in error.

"We are in communication to with local residents to protect and manage the trees to avoid any further damage to property. Removal of any tree will always be the last resort.”

Application documents said a claim for more than £25,000 had been made against the Scout Association in 2010 for underpinning relating to other trees on the land. A spokesperson for the Scout Association did not say how much they would be made to pay if the tree remains standing.

A spokesperson for RSA Insurance said they "are open to exploring all options” with the Scout Association, including root barriers, and removing the tree would be “a last resort”. 

They added: "It is important that any action that is taken minimises the risk of a future subsidence event, but we also value and respect the important role that trees such as this play within local communities.”

Haringey Council has asked the owner’s insurers for reports on alternatives to felling the tree, which is 18m from the adjoining property. 

Meanwhile a petition to protect the tree, started by Woodfield Way resident Claudia Aksoy has gained more than 1,700 signatures.

She said: "There is no clear evidence that the tree is the main reason for this subsidence, and there are other important factors such as the clay soil and dry summers which have not been investigated.”

Cllr Mike Hakata, deputy council leader and cabinet member for climate action, environment and transport, said officers had asked for a site visit and evidence to explore other options given the distance between the tree and the house.  

Giovanna Iozzi, co-chair of campaign group Haringey Tree Protectors said: "The business as usual approach to trees from insurers has to stop. Hotter summers, droughts - are we going to see all our mature trees chopped?

"Insurers need challenging about their habitual blaming of trees - they will do anything to avoid paying out for work on houses.

"The system has to change or we will see increasing numbers of mature trees gone that have grown slowly over a century.”

To sign the petition visit change.org Save Scout Park's Beautiful Oak