I agree with all the advice you've been given so far, but here is some
unknown information about trees. Make sure your house insurance cover
you for fallen trees, because say in the next big storm you have, if
those trees blow down on your house / property it will be classed, the
falling trees will classed as an act of god and you will not be able to
claim on your house insurance for any damage the do, it amazes me the
amount of people / house owner don't know about trees, if you mention
to the company involved that if there tree fall on your children (even
if you don't have children in your garden), you will sue the arse off
them the fact you have children and you know the law about trees will
make them get a move on, also contacted the media, Local radio etc,
send them a letter of intent, tell them what you are going to do, most
big companies hate publicitiy.

hope this help?

Beemer wrote:
Concerning two 40ft Leylandii planted 25 years ago by a long gone occupier
of my house in a location 4 feet over my back garden fence. Their trunks
are are only 3ft apart so they appear as one tree as one of them is leaning
into the other. They do not overhang my fence but in summer from sunrise
to around 11:00 they cast a complete shadow over my garden and patio.

The ground they are on is a grass covered "green area" with no other trees
in a Scottish private housing estate.

I did contact my local gov estates dept once saying that their lean (roots
at trunk of one are well exposed) constitued a current of eventual hazard
but they looked at it and said that in their opinion they were safe.

Can anyone give me advice on my prospects, necessary permissions etc for
getting these trees removed?

Beemer