Neighbouring site

Had a lad come up looking for our tractor to pull a lorry out that was stuck on his site, I was on my way out so gave him the tractor. He never thanked me or nothing. Arrived up the next week looking for a lend of my digger. I told him to do one . It works both ways.

Your neighbour has some neck.

I would be giving that engineer some piece of my mind and telling everyone locally what he had done. Should be put out of business for that sh1te. Pass on any potential cost to the thick farmer!!!! Prick

Yea, you're right, he's asking for too much , I'd cut a tree or a ditch but no more and I wouldn't sign anything, council have no right to ask for it when they didn't ask for it when the house was built

Retention will be easy got though if its more than seven years there as it will be statute barred and the council can do almost nothing.

I would get their engineer to outline fully the scope of works required in writing copied to all interested parties, I would request the works are overseen by the same engineer, Competent and fully insured contractors required to carry out the works, be it tree surgeon, civil contractor etc. Who is responsible for the maintenance going forward? as if there is an accident in the future could the landowner be responsible if maintenance is not completed annually?

Could the OP not just go to Co Co office and pay twenty euro to view the planning application? Would that show if they already submitted a letter that the ditch/tree would be altered?

Thing is that most of this stuff is (was) never checked .My own house is most likely in beach of a fair few of the planning conditions as outlined in the grant of permission .

Offhand never done aquadrain at the gate to divert water from the site into a non existent soak pit .The hedging was not what was in the planning .The floor height greatly exceeds what was granted as council wanted me to build it in a hole by making me dig into the site .House is slightly differently sized as I decided to make a few changes whilst in the process of building .

Engineer signed off on it although he wanted me to do aquadrain so I borrowed a few covers from local hardware ,sent him photo's of same in place at the gate and that done the job .

Reading the OP it seems like they should have contacted him 20 years ago and asked him if they could improve the sight lines at that time .Most likely took a chance and didn't bother on the understanding that the council was unlikely to follow up .

Think the issue could be the purchasers /bank solicitor would need a cert of compliance before releasing the mortgage money and the sellers seem unable to comply with this as they are not in compliance with planning as granted .Would imagine a simple retention application should cover this but then again that would be a few months wait .Also wonder if the council have made it a condition for retention that they correct the sight lines issue .

Then again would question where 4 inches comes into play .Unusual that just cutting down/back a hedge that miniscule amount would make any difference plus annual growth would far exceed that .

Perhaps not but then again you never know .Could have promised to send in one /get landowner permission etc and just didn't bother .Very little follow up on some of this stuff .

Know I had to do a guarantee when getting a mortgage to put site in both names .Solicitor advised not to bother for a few years to avoid paying something or other ;Stamp Duty ? .Left it almost 8 years to do so despite an odd follow letter from the bank .Think they may have written twice in that length of time but no consequences as such .

I have followed a fair few rural planning stories around my part. The letter could well have been faked or forgotten.

The OP has no problems whatsoever from my understanding of their post .The neighbour was/is looking for them to either provide a letter saying they can improve the sight lines or actually get the work done .

No skin off the OP's nose either way if they are happy to have the work done and get a few bob for their troubles .thats of course presuming the house owners pay for the work and a consideration for goodwill .

I still can't see any problems at all for the OP .The house owners have a headache trying to sort planning but maybe time is of the essence .If not would imagine it could all be sorted with retention .Again no issue for the OP as he cannot be compelled to remove a hedge to facilitate a private dwelling in which he has no interest .The only thing the council can do is make him keep his roadside hedge in a safe fashion .

No need to sweat the small things .

Lots of official bodies look for stuff and then never follow up or are put off a few times and its all forgotten .

Something that's important today and so vital is just another ticked box in a few years .I am sure and certain each and every person fills up their GLAS ,REPS etc form as required and unlike me have a number of blank sheets in the filing cabinet that will be filled in if I ever am unlucky enough to have an inspection .

But the neighbour didn't actually want to get the job done, he just wanted a letter saying the OP would do it, then it would be all forgotten. The neighbour had no intention of getting it done.