A solitary tree in a market town has become the focal point of a battle between a developer and a council. The oak, situated on a small parcel of land, stands prominently among the houses on London Road, Downham. Residents who have lived in the area have watched it flourish for decades. But last year, a bid to build a two-storey house in front of it threatened to spoil people’s view. It prompted objections from locals who were eager to not have their line of sight to the tree blocked. West Norfolk Council agreed with them and refused the application on the basis it would spoil the surrounding …