@Mander, I was chatting to my OH this morning about your query and he thought that there might be something 'nasty' about the abandoned area, he was especially suspicious about the strong steel fence right across the backs of the houses. Does it go all around the site? He wondered whether there was an old electric sub-station perhaps or it might even be 'contaminated' land due to old industrial usage. Do you know anything of the past history of your area? might be worth trying to find out.
I've got a problem with brambles and some other horrible shrub that I keep forgetting the name of taking over the vacant field behind my house. I have had vague ideas of getting some SBK and spraying it all, but my neighbour is concerned that it will be harmful to all the neighborhood cats that like to roam around the field. Is this a realistic concern?
Are you only concerned with pets , what about wildlife?
There are concerns that Glyphosate might be carcinogenic. What would grow in place of the brambles if you do kill them. Unless you spray the whole field, they will return.
@Lizzie27 Your OH is partly right about it being neglected for a reason but as far as I know it's not contaminated. The area used to be a stone quarry and my street is built right up against the bottom of the slope that was left when the quarry was abandoned. The field is on a fairly steep hill and I would guess it's not all that stable. A couple of years ago someone came to survey the field and it appeared on a list of potential sites that the council wanted to sell for new housing, but it was later taken off the list because it wouldn't be profitable for the developer. I presume this is because of the difficulty of building on the site. There would have to be substantial retaining walls built plus there is no obvious way to connect to the existing streets all around it.
@Mander, thanks for replying. The past history of the abandoned site is interesting. I wonder whether it would be worth putting in a cheeky bid of £1 to the Council to take it off their hands?!!!
Of course the main problem would be that the owner might become liable for any damage or injury to trespassers or indeed any damage to neighbouring fences or gardens due to falling trees/roots/Japanese knotweed etc so on second thoughts, perhaps not.
Quite a problem for you though and no easy answer. I'd go the weedkiller route on the brambles overhanging/near your fence as you're quite entitled to do.
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'contaminated' land due to old industrial usage.
Do you know anything of the past history of your area? might be worth trying to find out.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
What would grow in place of the brambles if you do kill them. Unless you spray the whole field, they will return.
Of course the main problem would be that the owner might become liable for any damage or injury to trespassers or indeed any damage to neighbouring fences or gardens due to falling trees/roots/Japanese knotweed etc so on second thoughts, perhaps not.
Quite a problem for you though and no easy answer. I'd go the weedkiller route on the brambles overhanging/near your fence as you're quite entitled to do.