Be mindful of liability if placing bollards outside your home

THE area of land alongside roads where boundary fences are moved back for new houses should be taken in charge by the council.

The suggestion was made by Councillor John O'Malley at a roads committee meeting.

People, in getting planning permission, have to move back their boundaries and so then have to maintain outside their wall, which is not fair, he said.

Said Councillor O'Malley: “99.9% of them are used as lay-bys.”

They should be taken in charge by the council.

He was told the area in question remains private property, which led the councillor to ask what was the purpose of it if the council don't take it over. He thought it was to widen the road.

The set-back, he was told, is to improve vision coming out of a house and to provide an area for visitors to park.

A separate issue in relation to these grounds was raised by director of services Tom Gilligan – the placing of bollards and other items to deter motorists pulling into them.

He warned that property owners need to be careful if they do this as they could be liable for damage caused to a vehicle.

He had noticed that more people are putting out obstacles outside their walls and he suggested they be mindful about their potential responsibilities and liability.