Port St Mary Commissioners to tackle overgrown trees and invasive plants

It was just one of the issues discussed at the local authority's public meeting

Port St Mary Commissioners says it will be writing to a local landowner after concerns were raised to the board about overgrown sycamore trees in the village.

The local authority believes that the issue on Primrose Terrace could affect visitors as well as the residents in the area.

The commissioner’s agreed that there was also a risk of a landslip if the trees weren’t dealt with properly.

Commissioner Laurence Vaughan-Williams told the board that there used to be seats in the area – but due to the overgrown nature of the sycamores it’s not possible to install these anymore.

He added that the residents feel ‘very strongly’ about the issue.

Chair Jean Teare said if the landowner decides not to do anything about it and the Department of Infrastructure don’t believe it’s dangerous then there’s nothing else the board can do.

Commissioner Will Gelling raised a concern about whether the authority should be involved as the land isn’t under its ownership.

But Mrs Teare said the board is trying to help the resolve the situation as best it can.

Also on the agenda was a discussion about Chapel Beach and the potential to bring a mobile ice cream van to the lower beach.

Commissioner David Scott told the board that a van currently operates in Gansey, but he said the provider is ‘keen’ to move it to the village.

He added that it might be ‘prudent’ to check with the local authority’s works staff and Clerk Hayley Kinvig agreed to facilitate a meeting to see if it could go ahead.

And the commissioners have agreed to look into the Bindweed issue in The Broughs.

Mr Gelling said the plants in the area are being ‘suffocated’ by the invasive weed and would like to see it removed from the embankment between the upper and lower promenade.

He told the board it is difficult to completely get rid of.

The clerk said she would ask the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture to send an officer to the area to see what can be done.

She added that the removal of the weeds could be joint effort between the community rangers group and the commissioners staff.

Port St Mary Commissioners will next meet on Wednesday 26 August.