Row over tall trees leaves Rawtenstall residents in the dark (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Row over tall trees leaves Rawtenstall residents in the dark

10:30pm Thursday 4th March 2010 in

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A DISPUTE has broken out between Rossendale residents and Green Vale Homes after trees were left to grow above the height of the houses.

After almost nine months of petitioning and complaining, a senior councillor and a group of homeowners in Blackthorn Lane, Rawtenstall, said they had reached boiling point.

Last year, the residents contacted Coun Jimmy Eaton because the trees outside their homes started blocking out natural light and crossing outdoor phone cables.

Coun Jimmy Eaton is demanding answers from managers at Green Vale Homes.

He said: “Last year I raised the issue with the bosses of Green Vale Homes who own the land and nothing has happened since.

“It’s not good enough.

“As a local councillor, residents present things to me which I have take further and fight for on their behalf.

“When an organisation refuses to co-operate with me, it stops the whole process and no resolutions can be made.

“Green Vale Homes has just given us complete silence since I first told them they had to cut their trees back almost a year ago.”

However, bosses at Green Vale Homes, a the not-for-profit social housing landlord, believe it is not their responsibility.

Environmental services manager Martin Yates, said: “The issue of BT phone cables passing close to the branches of a tree on our land off Blackthorn Lane was brought to our attention by Rossendale Borough Council at about 9am on July 29.

“The situation was looked at and a response was sent to the council at about 10.30am that same morning.

“According to our information pruning trees to safeguard phone wires is the responsibility of BT.”

County Coun Eaton has accused Green Vale Homes of passing the buck, and said: “It really should not have taken this long for Green Vale Homes to have sorted this out.

“They only needed to send someone to nip up to the land, trim the trees back and the residents would be satisfied.

"It’s gone too far and they have passed us from pillar to post.”