Council urges property owners to act on safety responsibilities

Dorset Council is calling on property owners next to public highways to check and maintain their buildings – before hazards put lives at risk.

Recent road closures caused by falling debris from unsafe structures have disrupted communities and highlighted the importance of regular maintenance. The council is urging owners to act now to prevent avoidable incidents.

Cllr Jon Andrews, Cabinet Member for Place Services, said:

“As a highways authority, we have a responsibility to keep people using roads and pavements safe.

“When debris from dangerous structures falls, we have no choice but to close the pavement or road. This causes disruption for people, which could be avoided if proper maintenance is carried out.”

When a dangerous structure is reported, on-call Building Control Surveyors and Highways Engineers attend to work with the owners of the property to make the area safe and have the ability to recover any associated costs. However, the council cannot carry out repairs – responsibility and costs lie with the property owner. If repairs aren’t completed promptly, the council can seek enforcement action.

More details about how to report a dangerous structure can be found at Report a dangerous structure to Building Control - Dorset Council