One of my neighbours has decided to celebrate the bank holiday by burning garden waste in his garden. The result is an unpleasant smoky atmosphere, problems breathing and at least one irate neighbour!
Lewisham council website states that domestic bonfires are not prohibited, but it urges people not to have them because of the impact on others and the pollution effects.
Any suggestions for what I should do? I don't want to cause a big issue, but on one of the nicest days of the year my garden is full of smoke and completely unusable.
Well, as it's a lawful activity and he's on private property there's nothing you can to be perfectly honest. You could go around and ask him politely to stop - but I doubt that would do any good.
It's just one of those annoyances that comes alongside living in a densely populated cities I'm afraid.
Thought that was probably the case, but felt the need to vent. I'm also worried that the ivy they're pulling down and burning usually has loads of birds nests in at this time of year.
Now, that could be more of a problem. I'm not sure it's legal to disturb/destroy active birds' nests. A few years ago, I had a robin which found its way into my garden shed through a knot-hole where the knot had fallen out, and had built a nest. I was told there was nothing I could do about it: I'd just have to leave the birds alone and wait until the chicks had flown the nest before I could remove it. (Sadly, as a result, when I did finally enter the shed I found that one of the chicks had drowned in an open container of water which I'd forgotten was in there)
And the legal position comes from the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 s.1(1)(b):
(1)Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person intentionally—
(b)takes, damages or destroys the nest of any wild bird while that nest is in use or being built;
he shall be guilty of an offence.
Not sure how it is enforced or how difficult it would be to prove "intentionally" though....
advice on bonfires is to start them after dark, and look after them. You can complain to police or environmental enforcement that he's causing a nuisance, and definitely include the bird nesting thing - I've stopped myself from cutting back a hedge because there were birds nesting in it.
