High Hedges

The Current Position

Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, gives local authorities powers to deal with complaints about high hedges and came into operation in England on 1 June 2005.

From that date, provided you have tried and exhausted all other avenues for resolving your hedge dispute, you will be able to take your complaint about a neighbour's evergreen or semi-evergreen hedge to the District Council.

The role of the Council is not to mediate or negotiate between the complainant and the hedge owner but to adjudicate on whether - in the words of the Act - the hedge is adversely affecting the complainant's reasonable enjoyment of their property. In doing so, the Council must take account of all relevant factors and must strike a balance between the competing interests of the complainant and hedge owner, as well as the interests of the wider community.

If they consider the circumstances justify it, the Council will issue a formal notice to the hedge owner which will set out what they must do to the hedge to remedy the problem, and by when. Failure to carry out the works required by the Council is an offence which, on prosecution, could lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

Cutting the tall stories down to size

•The legislation does not require all hedges to be cut down to a height of 2 metres

•You do not have to get permission to grow a hedge above 2 metres

•When a hedge grows over 2 metres the local authority does not automatically take action, unless a justifiable complaint is made

•If you complain to your local authority, it does not follow automatically that they will order your neighbour to reduce the height of their hedge. They have to weigh up all the issues and consider each case on its merits

•The legislation does not cover single or deciduous trees

•The local authority cannot require the hedge to be removed

•The legislation does not guarantee access to uninterrupted light

•There is no provision to serve an Anti-social Behaviour Order (ASBO) in respect of high hedge complaints.

The complaints form and information on the fees can be obtained from the Downloads section on the right of this page.  

See below for further information including the latest guidance on calculating potential action heights for hedges in relation to windows and gardens.

• Trees and Hedges
• High Hedges: Complaining to the Council
• High Hedges Complaints: Prevention and Cure. (May 2005)
• The High Hedges (Appeals) (England) Regulations 2005
• High Hedges, daylight and sunlight: final report (March 2, 2005)
• High hedges: an overview
• Review of guidance on hedge height and light loss ( March 2004)
• The right hedge for you: a guide to choosing a garden hedge
• Over the Garden Hedge
• The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 (Commencement No.5) (England) (Order 200)
• The Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 (see Section 8)
• High Hedges Consultation Implementing Part 8 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act (April 2004)
• High Hedges: Appealing against the Council's Decision