Tall trees taking up my light

paul2louise

Our estate was built 11 years ago. The builders left an area between our boundary and an adjacent estate. The bit between my house and other house on the neighbouring estate has about 20 trees. I intially trimmed the branches that overhung into our garden. Then last autumn i chopped the height off a few of the trees. I spoke to the owner of the house on the other side and they seemed quite happy about it. I did contact the council and house builders and both said the trees belong to noone and noone is in charge of them and they were not interested
I went to chop a bit more yesterday and had only just started and the owners wife came out into the garden and started to saying i had cut too much. I had left it too bare and her rabbit needed shelter.
The trees are growing fast. They block our light in the garden. We are south facing and half of the garden misses the sun because of these trees and the leaves they drop cover the garden
I am really stuck what to do. I dont think i can cut some of the smalller trees now as they have got too big but they worry me as they are just getting bigger and bigger.

Any advice, thanks

Davesnave

The land doesn't 'belong to no one,' because all land belongs to someone, be it an individual, a business or a corporate body, council etc. You've just been fobbed-off. If your estate as only built 11 years ago there will be a record somewhere.

You can find out who owns registered land via the Land Registry:

https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry

With modern estates, very often, a swathe of old hedgerow had to be left wild by the developer as a condition of planning permission. In those instances, the developer probably retained the ownership of these wildlife corridors.

If your trees are part of a wildlife corridor, the developer won't be interested in doing costly work on them, nor will you be entitled to cut them yourself. However, you might get permission to have them trimmed by a tree surgeon at your own expense.

In the final analysis, the trees were there first, you saw the trees and still bought the property, knowing that it's in the nature of trees to grow.

Justagardener

Just my opinion of course but Shelter for a rabbit?!! Is she serious? If trees are blocking your light they must be over 20 feet tall, somewhat taller than the height of a rabbit. There is nothing more annoying than unmanaged trees and land. Might be worth looking into the legalities...You could trim them...if there is an owner they will soon show their face.
If you can't find the owner I doubt your neighbour will be able to either. Trees will still grow even after they've been pruned.

moneyistooshorttomention

So why would her opinion be more valid than your opinion? Answer = it wouldn't be....

In your position - I'd carry right on with trimming those trees. If there is an owner that would be bothered about it (which I very much doubt) they will soon show up. At that point you and your neighbour would have equal rights to ask the owner for what you personally both want.

Sounds like she's just trying to frighten you off - but it's only words....

missbiggles1

Could you leave a couple unpruned at one end to allow shade for the rabbit and trim the rest? Although, thinking about it, if yours is south facing, theirs must be north facing so not in need of shade at the end of the garden.

*j*

Could be best to ask to discuss this directly with the rabbit.

paul2louise

Thanks for the replies you make me smile. My neighbours left and right are getting frustrated too with the trees so I think we are going to get some quotes from a proper tree surgeon who will be able to deal with them properly. We all bought the houses on this side of the development with the promise of south facing sun. Our gardens can be nearly covered in shade for a good deal of the day because of the trees. I don't want to upset anyone as I had asked them last year. Hopefully get something sorted out that works out for the best.

Davesnave

If you are going to take on the management of the trees, it will be better to have the support of a few neighbours, not only for moral back-up, but because they may be willing to share the costs.

And if you can have the trees trimmed without consultation with the local authority or a landowner, you're lucky, because I can think of three locations where a similar situation pertains and the owners have to seek permission. If they didn't, they'd be in trouble.

As an aside, two months ago I visited a place offered to me as a building site around 8 years ago. There's a splendid house there now, cunningly built on piles and a stone embankment to cope with the minor flooding that occasionally happens.

However, that wasn't what put me off; it was the line of trees along the stream, all with preservation orders on them. Someone has spent over £300k, but those trees are still stealing all their light!

Kyrae

At least you consulted your neighbour I guess, our neighbour decided to do it whilst we were on holiday and has left a right mess of half chopped down dead trees. Used to get loads of birds in them eating the berries but not this year We have hedgehogs living in the wildlife corridor too, hopefully none of those got squished when the trees were cut down!


I don't understand why people buy houses backing on to trees and then complain when the trees grow!

paul2louise

Kyrae wrote: »

At least you consulted your neighbour I guess, our neighbour decided to do it whilst we were on holiday and has left a right mess of half chopped down dead trees. Used to get loads of birds in them eating the berries but not this year We have hedgehogs living in the wildlife corridor too, hopefully none of those got squished when the trees were cut down!


I don't understand why people buy houses backing on to trees and then complain when the trees grow!

Thanks, when we moved in they were only little trees and after trimming the overhanging branches over the last 11 years it is quite scary how quickly they have grown. As they were young fast growing trees we shoukd have just got thme professionally chopped at about 12ft and then just manage the branches. That way we keep the folliage and the birds but they dont get out of hand. We still intend to look at the options.

moneyistooshorttomention

Kyrae wrote: »

I don't understand why people buy houses backing on to trees and then complain when the trees grow!

Perhaps because they assume the owners of those trees will be considerate enough not to let those trees impinge on the level of sunlight they have? - ie will keep them suitably trimmed.