Scaffolding on Right of Way

dottiec

My point is that I have the opportunity to negotiate an agreement with the owner of the building for the large sign to remain on his wall.  Our address starts approx 21 m in from the entrance shown on the photo I have posted so the sign is very useful for directing people.  The cottages and commercial building have a different road address. 

I will probably just tell the builder, who is also the owner, to forget our request for an agreement as the LA provided and put up the sign and he would have to deal with them. It's up to him whether he checks that out!

It's of no benefit to us to hold up the builder but his unwillingness to ensure safety beggars belief - he is just fighting me all the time.  All safety precautions should be routine to him.  I am awaiting the scaffold plan which I will send to the other property owners to ascertain how it will affect them.  They will soon have something to say if there is any possibility of having to park off-site with no end date available.  Hopefully the plan will prove that both vehicles and scaffolding can be accommodated - that's all I'm asking.

thegreenone

I hope you'll be able to find out which scaffolding co. when he produces the drawing/sketch and you can talk to them for proper answers.

dottiec

thegreenone said:

I hope you'll be able to find out which scaffolding co. when he produces the drawing/sketch and you can talk to them for proper answers.

After your previous post I asked for the plan to be done by his scaffolder on his company's headed paper - so thank you for that advice.  Would you be able to let me know your insurance company's name as I have realised I have been remiss not organising insurance for the road and need to get on with it tomorrow.   Many thanks for your support - it's very much appreciated when I feel I'm going mad.

bobster2

Section62 said:

bobster2 said:

But in any case - quibbling about whether the name plate is on posts or on the wall - is quibbling over a matter of a few cms. I would recommend OP stays focused on the scaffolding - without bringing in lots of minor details.

I don't think it would be "quibbling".

The local authority appear to have put up a street name plate at the expense of the public (or the people living on this side road).  The builder shouldn't interfere with it without the consent of the LA.

If the builder removes it then the cost of a replacement would fall on the public (or the people living on the side road), and a low-level sign would be more vulnerable to damage and defacement than one placed at a higher level on the building (which is presumably what the LA have done) and therefore would be more of an issue than just "a few cms".

OP specifically said his concern was not the cost but the cms..

If we had to move it onto steel posts in the ground it would further restrict the entrance width.

dottiec

bobster2 said:

Section62 said:

bobster2 said:

But in any case - quibbling about whether the name plate is on posts or on the wall - is quibbling over a matter of a few cms. I would recommend OP stays focused on the scaffolding - without bringing in lots of minor details.

I don't think it would be "quibbling".

The local authority appear to have put up a street name plate at the expense of the public (or the people living on this side road).  The builder shouldn't interfere with it without the consent of the LA.

If the builder removes it then the cost of a replacement would fall on the public (or the people living on the side road), and a low-level sign would be more vulnerable to damage and defacement than one placed at a higher level on the building (which is presumably what the LA have done) and therefore would be more of an issue than just "a few cms".

OP specifically said his concern was not the cost but the cms..

If we had to move it onto steel posts in the ground it would further restrict the entrance width.

We paid the LA for the sign and chose the wording.  The LA ordered it and put it up for us.  I am not sure whether this actually requires consent from the owner.  However, I think he now believes he has a ransom possibility, so I intend telling him to forget the request for consent and if he wants to move the sign he can take it up with the LA as they put it up.  It's up to him whether he checks the detail of this (I'm pretty sure the LA won't have a record of it, altho I have).  I shouldn't have mentioned itto the builder/owner but thought I was doing the right thing.  

Section62

dottiec said:

bobster2 said:

Section62 said:

bobster2 said:

But in any case - quibbling about whether the name plate is on posts or on the wall - is quibbling over a matter of a few cms. I would recommend OP stays focused on the scaffolding - without bringing in lots of minor details.

I don't think it would be "quibbling".

The local authority appear to have put up a street name plate at the expense of the public (or the people living on this side road).  The builder shouldn't interfere with it without the consent of the LA.

If the builder removes it then the cost of a replacement would fall on the public (or the people living on the side road), and a low-level sign would be more vulnerable to damage and defacement than one placed at a higher level on the building (which is presumably what the LA have done) and therefore would be more of an issue than just "a few cms".

OP specifically said his concern was not the cost but the cms..

If we had to move it onto steel posts in the ground it would further restrict the entrance width.

We paid the LA for the sign and chose the wording.  The LA ordered it and put it up for us.  I am not sure whether this actually requires consent from the owner.  However, I think he now believes he has a ransom possibility, so I intend telling him to forget the request for consent and if he wants to move the sign he can take it up with the LA as they put it up.  It's up to him whether he checks the detail of this (I'm pretty sure the LA won't have a record of it, altho I have).  I shouldn't have mentioned itto the builder/owner but thought I was doing the right thing.  

The usual approach is the developer of a new road would pay for the first-time street name plates (as part of the naming and numbering compliance) after which they become the responsibility of the LA to maintain and/or replace as necessary.

It is possible in your case the LA would deem them wholly private and your responsibility, but in that situation I'd be surprised they agreed to have them made and put them up on your behalf in the first place.

LA's normally want street name plates to be under their control (even on private roads adjacent to a highway maintainable at public expense) because of the issues I mentioned in my previous post regarding the emergency services etc.

dottiec

21 May update.
After mtg with builder on 5 MayI  followed it up with email confirming he had agreed to supply sketch of scaffolding which I wld send to other residents for them to agree whether they felt they cld still use the road. If not we would have to agree a date and time to close it.  The builder had orig said 6 days, then at mtg said could be longer if bad weather.

Anyway no response to my email.  However, scaffolders arrived beg of last wk and put up poles in the front yard of the neighbour next door to the building being renovated (which I had suggested and the builder shrugged off).  That side of the roof has now been done and the ridge tiles replaced.  I have not spoken to the builder since mtg him on 5 May.  

Yesterday on my way out, the scaffolders were erecting scaffolding starting at the entrance to our private road.  We had been promised narrow scaffolding by the builder by way of hand gesture - the scaffolding going up was 3 boards wide and took up over half of the access road.  I asked if they realised no permission had been granted, which was followed by a shouting match - 2 adult men and a 75 year old woman.  They said they didn't need permission etc etc.  I said they could lose their licence if I reported them and the sensible one eventually said they would take down what they had put up (very crudely erected with one scaffold leg jammed into an Aco channel). 

 I confirmed with them that I had not refused permission and was awaiting the sketch so they should speak to the builder. I realise it's not really their fault as I'm sure they have little training in public relations and safety.  They are a small company and there is no way I would have reported them when they are simply trying to make a living.

However, they had closed the road with no prior warning to anyone and without permission.  The builder had failed to notify us as owners of the road, or anyone else living on the site who needed to access and enter the drive.  The men said the scaffolding would only be up for one hour - builder had said minimum of 6 days.  Hard to believe any of them.  

I have allowed builder to use our space behind his building to place the skip, which I now regret as I can see the skip lorry has damaged the drive around a main gulley.  This is something for others to bear in mind when faced with this request - I did not consider the lorry.  The space is an absolute mess but I have not complained as he will be gone in a month hopefully and worse things are happening in the world.

I will continue to update as I think what I have learned from this site has helped me to "stay strong" shall we say.  To vent my fury and frustration I send myself emails of events, convinced and determined I will send them, but make myself wait until at least after a night's sleep.  The emails get changed and watered down and then don't get sent but remain on my PC.  I have inadvertently found this an excellent way of getting the problem out of one's head.  However, these emails are also useful in that they remain as a record of events if needed.