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The darkness..........................

  • 12-08-2013 7:39pm
    #1
    Big Davey
    Registered Users Posts: 778 ✭✭✭


    My neighbour has huge trees 30ft + they are blocking my light and intruding on my garden. I am aware that I can cut the branches that are coming into my garden but where do I stand with height ? I have not approached him yet as I would like to know where I stand legally first. I will offer him the branches that I cut off back but doubt he will want them so I will recycle them. What is the law regarding height ? What if he says no ?


Comments

  • #2
    lottpaul
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭lottpaul


    Not an expert but as far as I know you can cut any overhanging branches but you have no "entitlement to light" :( There was talk by Alan Shatter re bringing in a law to restrict tree height in certain circumstances -- but I think that's as far as it got. I sympathise with you. Cutting them back and reducing their height is only a temporary solution. The damn things bounce back again - and as for the roots :(


  • #3
    Andy-Pandy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,848 ✭✭✭Andy-Pandy


    lottpaul wrote: »
    Not an expert but as far as I know you can cut any overhanging branches but you have no "entitlement to light" :( There was talk by Alan Shatter re bringing in a law to restrict tree height in certain circumstances -- but I think that's as far as it got. I sympathise with you. Cutting them back and reducing their height is only a temporary solution. The damn things bounce back again - and as for the roots :(

    Lottpaul is correct, nothing you can do without the go ahead from your neighbour. Ask him nicely and offer to pay for a tree surgeon to reduce the trees height, nothing you can do if he says no.


  • #4
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,843 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    are they evergreen trees? as andy mentioned, best you can do is to offer to go splits on removing them; you never know, he might actually like the idea.


  • #5
    Oldtree
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,104 ✭✭✭Oldtree


    Andy-Pandy wrote: »
    Lottpaul is correct, nothing you can do without the go ahead from your neighbour. Ask him nicely and offer to pay for a tree surgeon to reduce the trees height, nothing you can do if he says no.

    bear in mind that a reduction of more than a third could lead to the trees demise, for which you would then be liable for your neighbours loss.

    After the tree has been reduced it will generally respond by shooting all over the place and your darkness could be made wosre. take a sycamore for example reduced from 30 ft to 20 foot, it will shoot and within 3 years be back to its origional height, also ash, poplar, etc. Also a management issue arises in that the shoot have weaker unions to the tree than normal branches and are very liable to break off, creating another co-liability for you should someone be hit by said branch, also creating the need for a management regime of pruning off the shoots at regular intervals creting a continuing cost.

    If your neighbour is ameniable then it would be best to get the trees assessed by an arborist, who would then be able to give you the best advice, possibly including the removal of the tree.

    such as these: http://www.goodwin-arborist.com/


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