Long-running growth spills over into private gardens
Residents of the privately owned bungalows at Lansdown Gardens in North Worle say they have been left angry and frustrated after brambles and overgrown hedges on adjoining land have encroached into their gardens for almost two years.
The vegetation grows on land the residents say belongs to North Somerset Council, along a public footpath beside the River Banwell, directly behind the properties. Private contractors who inspected the growth reportedly declined to cut it back, describing it as too thick and noting that it stands on council land.
Residents have criticised both the council and their property management company, FirstPort, saying neither organisation has taken responsibility for resolving the problem. They say repeated pleas — letters, phone calls and visits from councillors — have so far failed to produce a solution.
Local people feeling the strain
Margaret, 87, described how the hedge is pushing through fences and into her garden. She said she had written to FirstPort and contacted councillors but remains without a remedy.
"It’s coming into our gardens and the whole fence is bending with it. I can't live like that. I'm angry... You pay all that money every year for nothing really. We just want it all cut back and then kept under control."
Another resident, 79-year-old Sandra Fitzwilliams, told reporters she has had to rely on relatives to keep the worst of the growth at bay because she cannot manage it herself. She said her son and daughter-in-law, who have health issues of their own, have helped cut the brambles back where they can.
Practical barriers to clearing the growth
According to residents, private contractors who attended the site declined to undertake the clearance work, citing the density of the brambles and the fact the plants are on council-owned land. That has left residents uncertain who is responsible for the initial heavy clearance needed before a regular maintenance regime could be put in place.
- Location: Lansdown Gardens, North Worle, Weston-super-Mare
- Landowner (as reported by residents): North Somerset Council
- Property manager: FirstPort
- Duration: Residents say the problem has persisted for nearly two years
Residents press for a straightforward solution
Those affected say they are seeking a simple outcome: the overgrown vegetation cut back to the boundary and then kept under control so it does not re-invade gardens. One resident suggested that once the initial clearance is done she would be able to arrange ongoing maintenance.
| Resident | Age | Action taken |
|---|---|---|
| Margaret | 87 | Letters, phone calls, contacted councillors, wrote to FirstPort |
| Sandra Fitzwilliams | 79 | Relatives have cut back brambles where possible |
The dispute over responsibility between a management company and the council is not uncommon in retirement housing where properties are privately owned but sit adjacent to publicly managed land. For older residents, the impact is practical as well as emotional: overgrown hedges can damage fences, reduce usable garden space and create a sense of neglect outside the home.
For now, the hedge continues to press against fences and intrude into private gardens, and residents are waiting to see which body will take the first step to clear the worst of the growth so routine maintenance can follow. They say they will continue to press their case to both FirstPort and local councillors in the hope of a swift resolution.
Local people who value their outdoor space — and the quiet dignity of a well-kept garden — say the matter is about more than aesthetics; it is about the quality of life for some of Weston-super-Mare’s older residents and ensuring duties are met by the organisations responsible.
