COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, February 27, 2017

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff

"To ask the Chief Executive to inform this Committee if the current owners of the Balrothery site, which was granted planning permission by SDCC and approved by ABP, are responsible for the pruning of the trees on the interior perimeter of the site, which are now seriously overshadowing some of the local houses, and if they are responsible, can contact be made by this Council to have such works carried out immediately?"

REPLY:

"The management and maintenance of trees on private property is a matter for the landowners and is not the responsibility of South Dublin County Council. 

Where trees are overhanging from a neighbouring property, a property owner may cut off any tree branches which over-hangs his/her property without giving notice to the owner of the tree, but may not cut down the tree or enter on to the land of the tree owner without permission. In so doing, the landowner must take care not to render the tree dangerous and may only cut on the side of and up to his/her boundary line. All cuttings must be given back to the owner of the tree, or at least offered back. If the owner of the tree doesn’t want the cuttings, they must be disposed of in a responsible way and should not be left in the tree owner’s property without permission.

Wherever possible, is is advised that the best way to resolve problems with trees or hedges growing in adjacent properties, is for property owners to talk to their neighbours and to try to come to an amicable agreement. The interactions between neighbours on such issues are private matters and are best dealt with by the parties concerned through discussion, mediation or ultimately through civil procedures.

The Council will however review the tree survey and landscape plan which were submitted for this site as part of the planning process and will revert with further clarification of the position in regard to the trees on the site."