Could you get an independent opinion from a good tree surgeon as to whether the tree is really dangerous or seriously diseased? In my experience, when someone wants to take a tree down to improve light or space, they usually find an expert opinion in their favour. I once heard an 'arboreal engineer' say to someone who wanted a tree down, "I'll find something wrong with it for you."
It might be that the tree could be easily cured, or maybe your local council would put a TPO on it.
I do sympathise--I simply hate to see any tree felled.

we really want DrBob there is a disease attacking deciuous trees-- I know Oaks are affected but not sure about Horse chestnut, maybe you could google it and find more info

It sounds as if your horse chestnut has what is known as bleeding canker. This is a disease normally found in the south of England but has been recorded further north and in Glasgow before. The disease will eventually kill the tree but I suspect that your factor is more concerned with the risk of the disease spreading to other horse chestnut trees in the area.

The wound in the tree can be treated by a tree surgeon. The slit can be filled and covered so the cambium layer can heal to close the crack.

Thank You. I will take a photo and post later today ( I have googled and I think it is bleeding canker because when I first noticed it there was a brown patch looked like creosote running down the tree and it was sticky to the touch).

but also look at it the other way. if the tree is too diseased to survive and nothing was done and it fell and damaged your property or worse, hurt you or someoneelse you would be upset too. Perhaps the tree is too far gone to save and this is the right decision. But ask the council they will have a tree department.

Tried for the past hour to upload photos must be doing something wrong!!!! When I click into browse, it is selecting the entire photos I have on my pc its not letting me select a photo! I am using Picassa to store photos but its really no different from anything I've used before....help!

Afraid I can't answer that one Penny, Heron, have you tried vine weevil killer also in April/May sacrifice a couple of pieces of Hydrangea, lay them down on the ground and catch the beetles as we do with lily beetles. The vine weevil killer doesn't smell either.

Sounds like the tree has got canker - I'd let them remove it, but insist on another tree (not horse chestnut) being planted in its place (I'm willing to bet your local council will want a new tree in place as well)

Sorry I put my post on the wrong thread.

I wondered, Docbob, thought maybe there was some cipher message I couldn't understand somewhere ....lol

No much simpler than that Bamboo, a senior moment I was thinking of two questions at once, fatal. Must be past my bedtime.

Have you checked to see if the tree has a Tree Preservation Order on it, your council will know, if it has, the owner will have to go through the process of proving the tree is unsafe before he can touch it.

We are often quick to destroy trees, I have seen many cut down to make cardboard boxes. A Horse Chestnut has no real timber value, but it has taken about 40 years to be what it is, it would be better to try and preserve it.

In England you can apply to have an 'emergency Tree Preservation Order' put on a tree to protect it, but it might be different in Scotland. You could contact your local parks department, they should be able to send someone qualified to give an unbiased opinion.