Property Rights and Leylandii
I see that the Plymouth man with his leylandii is making waves in the news. The BBC have been making noises about him wanting privacy as if this is a bad thing… I have no problem with him wanting privacy – it is a good thing. However, the issue of property rights is not always as simple as Mr Alvand would have us believe:
I am a law-abiding citizen and I have suffered for 20 years being chased over my wall and trees. It’s my land.
Indeed it is and his neighbours have no place telling him what to do with it. However… Property rights do not extend to adversely affecting the property of others. The 12 foot wall he built at the back of his property was directly alongside his neighbour’s property – and his claim that it was a greenhouse is stunning in its absurdity. At that height, it would have reduced light to his neighbour’s property.
The Leylandii are affecting the lawn in his neighbour’s property – probably due the the damned things sucking every drop of moisture from the surrounding soil, they reduce the light and who knows what damage the root system of such large trees will be doing to the three houses directly affected.
So, given that I agree with Mr Alvand’s general statement about property rights, if I lived next door, I’d get the overhanging branches cut and issue Mr Alvand with the bill. I would also remove any roots that extended into my property. Property rights are a two-way thing and Mr Alvand is taking the piss.
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