Overhanging Branches

Few birds nest in the winter so why not take advantage of the opportunity to prune bushes and trees particularly where vegetation hangs over footways with branches that present a hazard to pedestrians. Although many leaves have dropped by then in wet weather when the weight of the water makes branches droop lower they catch passers by.

Please have a look at your boundaries and cut back vegetation where appropriate. It may be just a few straggling branches that need trimming, but these can be really nasty if they are part of a prickly bush and/or are the height to catch a child in the face. Sometimes it’s necessary to cut back quite hard rather than just snip off the odd branch or two. The plant recovers quickly and often grows more strongly as a result and passers by aren’t troubled by the overgrowth for a longer period.

There’s no hard and fast rule about who owns what. Sometimes land outside the boundary wall or fence actually belongs with a property, and in some of the older parts of the Grange Farm development this can mean the householder has to go out of his cul-de-sac to reach the area.

It may be that some people don’t realise they are responsible for the vegetation outside their fence line. A quick look by residents at their deeds will show if the land belongs with a particular house but this isn’t something everyone has ready access to, particularly if the property is rented. A search on the Land registry website can prove very helpful though.