Dundee woman ordered to chop down trees after feud with neighbour

May 2, 2019

Interior designer is ordered to chop down 65ft Cypress trees at her £500,000 mansion after losing two-year fued with neighbour who claimed they block light, are dangerous and ruin her TV signal

Interior designer Juliet Rathbone-Tulleth has been ordered to chop down 65ft Cypress trees on her property
She has been feuding with neighbour Irene Moncur over the tall trees for at least two years
Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth insisted the trees were providing her £500,000 Broughty Ferry home in with privacy
Mrs Moncur complained the trees blocked natural light into her garden and posed a safety risk
Meanwhile another neighbour, Anne Kelly said the dense trees affected her TV’s reception

An interior designer has been ordered to chop down 65ft trees on her luxury property after loosing a long-running feud with her neighbours.

Complaints about the excessively tall trees on Juliet Rathbone-Tulleth’s Broughty Ferry home were first made in 2017 by her neighbour Irene Moncur, who lives parallel to her property, to the Dundee City Council.

Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth denied her Cypress tress were causing problems, and instead insisted they were providing her £500,000 home with privacy.

The city council ruled the trees in the businesswoman’s backyard to be lopped down to 25ft following their investigation.

Interior designer Juliet Rathbone-Tulleth has been ordered to chop down the 65ft Cypress trees on her Broughty Ferry home after her neighbour Irene Moncur complained to Dundee City Council the trees were blocking sun light and were dangerous

Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth lodged an appeal to the Scottish Government hoping to beat the council ruling. But her plan backfired after they also sided with Mrs Moncur and said the entire trees should be axed.

Lawyers representing Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth had written to the government defending her position and denying they formed a hedge.

They added: ‘The appellant also believes the trees provide them with a right to privacy which will be lost should the trees be reduced in accordance with the notice served upon them.’

A Google 3D street map of Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth’s property shows the trees at the back of her property, which is parallel to Mrs Moncur’s house

Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth denied her Cypress tress were causing problems, and instead insisted they were providing her £500,000 home with privacy in Dundee City Council

Mrs Moncur’s daughter, Helen, wrote to the government about the impact of the trees on her mother’s garden and safety. Mrs Moncur’s home, which is parallel to Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth’s property, shades a big portion of the backyard (the back of Mrs Moncur’s property pictured)

Mrs Moncur’s daughter, Helen, wrote to the government about the effect of the dispute on the parties concerned, the properties, as well as the complaints about the trees.

‘There have been numerous letters sent from different neighbouring properties over the years to Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth, but she has not responded to any,’ she said.

In her letter she wrote that the trees were of significant height and density affecting the natural lighting and safety risks in the garden – particularly the overgrowth of moss and trees falling into the garden, which has previously happened.

Another neighbour, Anne Kelly, also wrote to the government complaining about the trees, claiming they impacted her TV reception.

She added: ‘Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth has spent considerable time and expense over the last year on improving her property and swimming pool but has total disregard for her neighbours.’

Helen Moncur wrote in her letter: ‘There have been numerous letters sent from different neighbouring properties over the years to Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth, but she has not responded to any’

She wrote that the trees were of significant height and density affecting the natural lighting and safety risks in the garden – particularly the overgrowth of moss and trees falling into the garden, which has previously happened

Meanwhile another neighbour, Anne Kelly, also wrote to the government complaining about the trees, claiming they impacted her TV reception and said Mrs Rathbone-Tulleth ‘has total disregard for her neighbours’

Government reporter Steve Field ruled the hedge impacted Mrs Moncur’s home and blocked her view of the surrounding area.

He said: ‘I could see on my site inspection that the southern outlook from the applicant’s house is dominated by the hedge and, in particular, that long views from the first-floor window over Broughty Ferry and the River Tay to Fife are obscured to a significant degree by the hedge.

‘I consider that living within a town, it is not reasonable to expect uninterrupted, panoramic views of the surrounding countryside over property not controlled by the householder.

‘However, given the much more open southerly aspect which would have prevailed before the hedge was planted, some 30 years ago in the council’s estimation, I do consider that the screening effect of the hedge has reduced the long established views which formed part of the reasonable enjoyment of the property.’

Source: Read Full Article