I hear there is legislation to deal with nuisance high hedges?
Yes there is. It came in as Part 8 of the Anti Social Behaviour Act on June 1st 2005. It gives the Council powers to intervene in hedge dispute between neighbours, but only as a last resort. The complainant must be able to demonstrate that they have tried to resolve the dispute both verbally and in writing before the council can deal with the complaint. If these attempts are unsuccessful, they must also write to the hedge owner informing them of their intention to complain to the Council. For the trees to constitute a high hedge they must be: • made up of a row of two or more trees; • more than two metres in height; • capable of obstructing light or views; • evergreen or semi-evergreen; • growing on land owned by somebody else. Making a complaint about a high hedge incurs a fee of £300 which is payable to the Council with the completed complaint form.
