Homeowner ‘frustrated’ by lack of action over bushes
HE SAYS HE FELL THROUGH HEDGE TRYING TO CUT IT BACK HIMSELF
A MAN from Clifton his “frustrated” that bushes are dangerously blocking the back of his house – and have also damaged his fence.
Mark Lees, 54, lives on Thistledown Road and his home backs on to grounds owned by Highbank Primary and Nursery School.
At the back of his garden path about three metres wide, with a hedge that acts as a boundary between the walkway and the school grounds.
But the bushes have caused Mr Lees problems.
In case of an emergency, he said he would be unable to get down the path as it is blocked by undergrowth.
He says it has previously damaged fence panels and he has had to replace them at his own expense.
Mr Lees says knee problems prevent him from tackling the overgrowth properly, and his elderly neighbours are unable to cut it back either.
He said: “If I had to get out the back, I wouldn’t be able to. It’s frustrating that it hasn’t been fixed. It’s supposed to be done twice a year and, when it has been done in the past, most of it has been left behind.
“I understand it’s the school’s responsibility to cut both sides, and it’s been that way for as long as the nine years I’ve lived here.
“I tried to cut the top once this year and fell through the hedge, I just don’t have the right equipment.
“I’ve tried to get in touch with the school a few times but haven’t heard back.
It would be great to just get it sorted.”
A statement from Highbank Primary and Nursery School said: “We have been made aware of this situation and understand why Mr Lees is upset.
“We are very community-minded and will always take any complaint of this nature seriously. “While we empathise with Mr Lees, the school has a grounds maintenance contract with Nottingham City Council and, as a condition of the contract, they cut the grass and maintain the boundary hedges as required. “The hedge in question, which overhangs the pathway, is not part of the school. “However, as soon as Mr Lees made contact with the school back in 2020, Mrs Shelton-bourke (Highbank Primary School’s business manager) contacted Jerry Warnes at Nottingham City Council – he informed us that his colleague Tony Bamford had visited the property just two weeks earlier and had agreed that the hedge should be trimmed as a priority. “Last week, Mrs Shelton-bourke informed Mr Lees during his visit to
The hedge in question which overhangs the pathway is not part of the school Highbank Primary and Nursery School
the school, that she would contact the city council again this week, which she did. We have received the following response this morning from Stewart Gee, Grounds Maintenance team at the City Council.
“’We have spoken to the grounds maintenance team at Nottingham City Council and the hedge cutting has been arranged for the school over the next couple of weeks. It is council policy – due to nesting birds – that the hedges are not cut until late July.
“’The grounds team have stated that there are issues with pathways being blocked by items that have been flytipped and householders’ hedges being overgrown that sometime causes issues for the grounds teams being able to get to the hedges.’”
Nottingham City Council has confirmed it will look into the issue.