Don’t upset the neighbours

[Shortperson]

Hi

i have the best neighbours on one side to me who are very quiet, they leave me alone and I’m very keen to maintain the status quo, if I can.

I want to make some changes that could affect their privacy such as cutting down some very large trees on my land that line my driveway and are growing over it. I have to cut them back every year, there are many of them, it’s going to be expensive so I’d like to take them down completely and just have grass.

These neighbours have been in the area for years and have seen lots of changes, when I moved here a couple of years ago many trees were cut down to build my home and there were lots of muttering about how lovely it was before my home was built. The line of trees had been deliberately left by the builder to give these neighbours privacy but, they are huge!

I’ve not spoken to them so I don’t know how they’d feel about it but I’m guessing they are going to be upset. They have put up a very low fence behind the trees but if I cut them down they going to be exposed to traffic going up down my driveway as well as visitors, postmen, delivery men…etc.

The neighbour on the other side to me made it clear that they did not want my home to be built as they seemed to have an idyllic life before I bought the place. I know it’s not my fault but the general view seemed to be a lot trees had to be removed which had affected the local habitat. These neighbours put a climbing frame with a platform a metre from my fence, they, their friends and children) sometimes would climb it and stare into my dining room, kitchen and living room which was very unnerving! I had to involve the Council in the end to stop it.

I have thought of keeping trees and asking the neighbours for a contribution every year but that is a burden I don’t want or do I just bite the bullet risk souring relations by cutting the trees down?

I have already had a problem with one neighbour over the climbing frame and I don’t want another but these trees are nightmare.

what would you do?

Cut them down and replace them with smaller, more delicate trees that won't grow so tall or fast.

I can understand why you would want to get rid of conifers. A native hedge would be far better for wildlife while taking less out of the soil.

Do your neighbours have the opportunity to plant their own trees on their side of the boundary if they wish, using their own land for the screening they may want ?

We had something called a crown lift done on big conifers - basically turned them into a lollipop shape with a heavy amount off the top. Result is a light bright garden with minimal maintenance while the trees and privacy were retained. It would solve your growing sideways problem too.

Are you allowed to chop them down?

Do they have a TPR on them?

And are they leylandii?

If so, I'm with you, chop the nasty buggers down

And replace them with easily maintained native trees or shrubs

Gas panic

yes they have. It’s their boundary and they’ve put a low fence fence in to corala their dogs. Theirs is ; plenty of room for them to plant trees or whatever they want. However, there was a huge gap in front my house which meant they could see into my bedroom from their garden so I spent a fortune planting hedging along their boundary. As I understand from what they’ve said in the past, they don’t like fences.

I respect their privacy and I like the idea of a native hedge. I feel it’s only right to speak to them but, it is my land after all.

I will get the tree surgeon to check the statues of the trees. I think it’s best I speak to them (not tress…the neighbours!) the loss of light etc and float the idea of a native hedge.

I do want to remove them as they are so oppressive and hedge is a compromise

Thanks again it’s really helped to talk it over,

Your trees, it’s up to you. I’d chop them down. Neighbours can grow their own.

Couple of thoughts:

Can you take every other tree out, and put something in the gaps. Then in a couple of years, take the other half out?

Laurel can be decimated and still come back. Take it right back to brown sticks, and it will be green again in a few months.

I wouldn't do anything without talking to the neighbour's, but I'm not sure the tree surgeon will know if there are TPO on your particular trees. The paperwork from the solicitor when you bought should tell you tho.

I will ‘man up’and speak to the neighbours this eeek. Thanks Ricky gervais and spring of contentment.

Ring your local council re TPO

You will have to act soonish due to imminent nesting season

Laurels are good for absorbing sound as well so you may both annoy each other more

I’m guessing you don’t have privacy concerns?

seems a shame to get rid of them. I appreciate it’s your land but I wonder if you have considered the impact on you as well.

It’s nesting season so you ideally need to wait until august.
laurel is advised against as it’s invasive and has little environmental value

I would definitely discuss your dilemma with your neighbours. Explain you can't afford to keep having them cut back so you may have to have them all cut down. It should give them a bit more light even if less privacy. They may come back with an alternative suggestion, maybe even sharing the cost of cutting them back if they want to keep their privacy, but it needs to be their suggestion I think.
You could also consider what other less tall planting you could put in instead.

You will have to act soonish due to imminent nesting season

It started in February

Agreed I saw a blackbird building a nest in my shrub yesterday.

Really? I have a laurel which I have to cut back every year otherwise it grows into my neighbour's front garden.

Brace yourself for it being pretty expensive. Sounds like they are the wrong trees for the location though.

I think if you approach them with a plan to remove the inappropiate trees and replace with a more appropriate hedgerow of smaller, more attractive species, they'll take that better! I know I would.

Tree cutting is expensive, think a couple of hundred for the first tree. maybe less for the others. It would be more if access didnt sound easy. Laurel and leyandii are best removed but a 2-3 metre hedge is going to add another hundred per plant. You could plant rowan or beech, if you dont mind deciduous and viburnum or yew if you arent worried about poisonous berries.

The laurels, if cut back really hard, will still grow back and could be kept trimmed into a hedge, with other native hedging interspersed.

This :(

Yeah fair enough. My MIL has a laurel hedge so I tend to think of it as a hedge thing rather than a tree thing. I was thinking more like deciduous trees - horse chestnut, plane, silver birch, cherry etc.