HOMEOWNERS in Dunfermline have been left to suffer while a dispute over the maintenance of their estate continues to stagger on.

That’s the view of an elderly couple from Norton Place who fear for the safety of their house because of an overgrown tree and its roots.

Charlie and Eileen Cuthbert told the Press that Fife Council won’t do anything until the dispute between the local authority and Fife Housing Group has been settled.

Mr Cuthbert said: “The slabs around our front path started to come up and after inspection it’s clear to see that the roots of the tree are right around the property.

“I would say it’s highly likely that they are underneath too, so our main concern is how this is affecting the house’s foundations. We’ve wanted the tree removed for a long time, but the council are not doing anything.”

Residents from Norton Place and Walls Place have been petitioning the two organisations for the past year over the state of the area. “There’s nothing that we can do until they resolve the dispute and while we wait for them to sort it out it’s us who are left to suffer. It’s like hitting your head against a brick wall.”

Lawyers from the local authority are examining a legal agreement between the old Dunfermline District Council and Scottish Homes, who agreed that Dunfermline District Council would be responsible for maintenance.

The estate has a mix of privately owned homes and social housing.

Local champion Archie Frail, who has been petitioning the council on behalf of residents, said: “Fife Council should be ashamed of the way they are treating an 80-year-old couple who are now finding it hard to live an everyday life, worrying, not sleeping for fear that a tree that should have been maintained has been left to grow unabated for at least 27 years.

“This couple have had to rebuild a wall, front door steps and have their rhones cleaned out twice a year at their own expense.”

Councillor James Calder agreed that residents had waited “too long” for the authorities to deal with overgrown trees potentially damaging the properties because of the stalemate.

He also highlighted the need for more spending on open spaces in Dunfermline, saying people in areas such as Abbeyview and Pitcorthie are “very unhappy” over the issue.

Cllr Ross Vettraino, environment spokesperson, said: “I’ve visited the area and can understand the concerns. Council officers are in correspondence with the Fife Housing Group and the council’s legal team is looking into the agreement between the former Dunfermline District Council and former Scottish Homes to determine the extent of Fife Council’s liability for tree maintenance.

“It is my view that tree root work is not part of normal maintenance procedures. I hope that officers will soon be able to provide more clarity on where the responsibility lies for on-going tree maintenance within this housing estate, but I think it is unlikely to cover tree roots within individual properties.”