newsb wrote:

The only benefit from the trees seems to be that a bunch of starlings
seem to be nesting there. They're not even any good for the woodburning
stove

Not true (the burning bit), Leylandii are quite acceptable for burning
in a woodburning stove if they're well seasoned/dried, just like any
other wood.

Leylandii wood is about 'middle of the road' for burning, not as good
as the best (Ash and similar) but a lot better than the worst. We
have been burning steadily through our Leylandii for the past seven or
eight years with no problems.

Leylandii wood is actually quite hard and more like a hardwood than a
softwood in many ways, it's nothing like pine.

--
Chris Green