Frequently asked questions: Planning and Building Control

Planning and Building Control questions

• Question: A privately owned tree is about to fall in to the highway.

• Question: A privately owned tree is about to fall on to non-highway land.

• Question: A privately owned tree is blocking the view from my property.

• Question: A privately owned tree is causing interference to my telephone cable/electricity cable.

• Question: A privately owned tree is obstructing a street light.

• Question: A privately owned tree is obstructing traffic lights and street signs.

• Question: A privately owned tree is touching my property.

• Question: A tree from a private property is blocking my view at a road junction, can the Council cut it back?

• Question: A tree from private property is overhanging a road or footpath, can the Council cut it back?

• Question: Can the Council get involved if I have a dispute with my neighbour over a high hedge?

• Question: Can the Council get involved if I have a dispute with my neighbour over a tree?

• Question: How do I find out if a tree is protected with a TPO or in a conservation area?

• Question: I have bird droppings from my neighbour's trees on my path/garden.

• Question: I have blossom/falling fruit and germinating seeds in my garden from my neighbour's trees.

• Question: My neighbour's tree has a bee/wasp nest in it.

  Answer:

  Bees are protected species and advice should be taken before considering their removal.

  You may be able to dispose of individual wasps using an aerosol insect repellent spray, but this will not control or eliminate the nest itself. Ideally the whole nest should be destroyed. This can be achieved with great caution but it is far safer to use pest control experts.

  If you wish to exercise your Common Law Right to remove (abate) the nuisance associated with encroaching/overhanging trees – see Common Law Right above.

• Question: My neighbour's tree is causing subsidence damage to my property

• Question: My neighbour's tree is interrupting my TV/satellite signal.

• Question: My neighbour's tree is overhanging my property, what can I do?

• Question: My neighbour's tree is restricting light in to my house and shading my garden

• Question: My neighbour's tree is shading my solar panels.

• Question: My tree has damaged my drains.

• Question: Poisonous berries are falling in to my garden from my neighbour's tree.

• Question: Sap/sticky residue is falling on to my path from my neighbours tree.

• Question: The tree roots of a privately owned tree is causing a trip hazard in a footpath, street, road or highway.