# What is a Private Estate?



## roker (18 Oct 2013)

I live in a cul-de-sac of about 12 house on one side, after a lot of hassle we eventually got the County Council to take it over a couple of years ago.

When we tried to get them to maintain the grass opposite the houses, they said that they maintain the roads and services but it is a private estate.

What is the difference between a private estate and a normal road? 

Does a private estate mean that the Garda have no authority to check cars, driving licences etc?


----------



## Dermot (18 Oct 2013)

Basically it means that the houses are privately owned as opposed to an estate where the local authority own the houses. 
The Co Co do not normally maintain the grass in a private estate.  They maintain services and roads where they have taken it over.
The Gardai have the same authority in the circumstances that you outline in your estate as they do on a normal road


----------



## roker (18 Oct 2013)

Thanks Dermot. I recall an incident in the UK a long time back, when I worked for a factory in a trading estate that was classed as private. One of the employees had his car damaged when he was parked, the insurance company would not pay out because they said it was on private land. Also the entrance to the estate had barriers which had to be used occasionally to main it as a private estate. Clearly this is different conditions from a so called private estate where I live


----------



## shesells (20 Oct 2013)

In a private estate, if the council have taken it in charge, the road is a public road. As Dermot says, councils do not normally take over landscaping/grounds maintenance when they take developments in charge. This is why recently built developments tend to have management companies.


----------



## ajapale (20 Oct 2013)

The council really should be more specific when they use the word "_private_". 

In this case they are saying that this estate is not a Local Authority estate. 

Councils cut the grass and maintain the open spaces on Local Authority estates.

Councils generally do not cut the grass and maintain the open spaces on non Local Authority (what they call _private_ ) estates.

When a council takes an estate in charge they generally take the roads, footpaths, public lighting, storm water, mains water. 

The responsibility for the upkeep of the green areas and open spaces rests with the developer / management company / owners.


----------



## roker (21 Oct 2013)

The council planners said this green area must have trees pathway etc. now they don't want to know about it.


----------



## ajapale (21 Oct 2013)

roker said:


> The council planners said this green area must have trees pathway etc. now they don't want to know about it.



You can allways check the planning files for the development to see what the planning authority had to say at the time about maintenance of green spaces etc.


----------

