High hedges
Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 gives Councils the
powers to deal with complaints from the public about a neighbour’s
hedge that they believe to be spoiling the reasonable enjoyment of
their property. More details are available in the booklet
‘High hedges: complaining to the Council’
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
How high is a hedge allowed to be?
There is no legal limit on hedge height. If a complaint is
received, together with the correct fee (£350 or concessionary fee
of £175) the Council will use the formula devised by The Building
Research Establishment, Hedge
height and light loss together with other relevant information
relating to the hedge, its surroundings and statements from the
complainant, the owner of the land where the hedge is situated, and
any other interested parties, to decide upon a reasonable hedge
height
Why should I pay a fee, I pay my Council Tax?
Dealing with High Hedge complaints is an additional burden on
the Council; adjudicating between neighbours in what amounts to a
civil dispute is not something we would normally become involved
in. The fee, set by Members, reflects the average fee charged
by other Local Authorities.
My neighbour has a very tall, wide Conifer that shades my
garden; will the Council consider my complaint?
No. The definition of a high hedge under the Act is: "two
or more evergreen or semi-evergreen trees or shrubs that grow
together so as to form a barrier to light and views beyond."
Therefore, one tree, no matter how wide, cannot be dealt with under
the Act.
Can you come and have a look before I make a formal
complaint?
No, the Council has to remain impartial in this process; a
pre-complaint visit could be seen to be prejudging the outcome of a
complaint.
Contact
Telephone: (01304) 872205
E-mail: conservation@dover.gov.uk
