Chop your garden's trees down to 2M, new law says
Discussion
A friend of ours told use last night that there is a new law coming in / already come in that requires you to chop your trees down to a mere 2 metres (6'7") if your neighbours complain about them.
I couldn't believe this, so did a quick google and came up with [url]this site|http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html[/url] which seems to support it.
As the owner of a property with nice tall connifers that give our garden total seclusion, I'm stunned by this.
We also have a Silver Birch and a very mature Weeping Willow. I can't see either of those surviving as more than a tall tree stump if cut down to 6'7"
Madness!
I couldn't believe this, so did a quick google and came up with [url]this site|http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html[/url] which seems to support it.
As the owner of a property with nice tall connifers that give our garden total seclusion, I'm stunned by this.
We also have a Silver Birch and a very mature Weeping Willow. I can't see either of those surviving as more than a tall tree stump if cut down to 6'7"
Madness!
It does say high hedges not trees though.
website said:
A government Bill giving Local Authorities the power to control evergreen or semi-evergreen hedge heights seems set to become law. A residential occupier can complain to his Local Authority if :
1. A hedge is evergreen or semi-evergreen.
2. It is over 2m in height.
3. It is "unreasonably restricting " light to the property.
Yes, sorry, my mistake.
Further research has turned up this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4596685.stm
which does indeed say it is high hedges such as leylandii.
sorry about that. 
Further research has turned up this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4596685.stm
which does indeed say it is high hedges such as leylandii.
sorry about that. 
kidding. 
miniman said:
Think is's mainly aimed at Leylandii and other fast growing, evergreen stuff that blocks out light.
Madness nonetheless...
What is mad about it?, it was about time something was done about inconsiderate people who deprive their neighbours of light.
2M is quite sufficient to maintain privacy.
Not sure how this will work out in reality and if i will be abused, but check out the link from the BBC website. Previously there was nothing that could be done about this. With a bizzare loophole in the law meant that you could plant a load of leylandii around your property - no problem in general, but you could let them grow to 20+ feet and drown out the light of your neighbours.
And you know what? A neighbour could do nothing about it. They were condemned to a life of darkness, pine needles and naff all that will grow near the base of them....
All this does is draw a line on how high and to stop the petty, shallow minded morons who resort to the use of things like Leylandii to get their neighbours to move. Oh and Leylandii was singled out due to is high growth per year. Since they grow many feet per year, a couple of years and you can end up with no light. Not quite the same thing with an Oak for example!!! There are other fast-growers, but Leylandii is the worst one of the lot.
Does this mean the end of trees in the back garden? No more high hedges? Nah, not quite. Its about the light, or lack of it when Leylandii takes hold. The odd tree isnt quite the same thing - and it only covers evergreens... for obvious reasons. High hedges? You can of course get planning permission, which can be granted in advance or in retrospect.... so you wont have to cut down you hedge quite yet.....
Panic over...
And you know what? A neighbour could do nothing about it. They were condemned to a life of darkness, pine needles and naff all that will grow near the base of them....
All this does is draw a line on how high and to stop the petty, shallow minded morons who resort to the use of things like Leylandii to get their neighbours to move. Oh and Leylandii was singled out due to is high growth per year. Since they grow many feet per year, a couple of years and you can end up with no light. Not quite the same thing with an Oak for example!!! There are other fast-growers, but Leylandii is the worst one of the lot.
Does this mean the end of trees in the back garden? No more high hedges? Nah, not quite. Its about the light, or lack of it when Leylandii takes hold. The odd tree isnt quite the same thing - and it only covers evergreens... for obvious reasons. High hedges? You can of course get planning permission, which can be granted in advance or in retrospect.... so you wont have to cut down you hedge quite yet.....
Panic over...
Over the last few years a number of people have been killed over hedge disputes.
Only in Britain...
(Though I have to say I find shooting your neighbour over the height of ones hedge a truly wonderful comedy scene. Jerry Leadbetter brandishing an uzi in the name of all that is decent with enforced privacy via hedge. Arnold Schwarzenegger is The Arborist etc...)
Only in Britain...
(Though I have to say I find shooting your neighbour over the height of ones hedge a truly wonderful comedy scene. Jerry Leadbetter brandishing an uzi in the name of all that is decent with enforced privacy via hedge. Arnold Schwarzenegger is The Arborist etc...)
)
JagLover said:Agree 100%, some inconsiderate folk let trees grow, and block out light/views to other property, what they didnt mention you have to pay tu submit a complaint I think.
Think is's mainly aimed at Leylandii and other fast growing, evergreen stuff that blocks out light.
Madness nonetheless...
What is mad about it?, it was about time something was done about inconsiderate people who deprive their neighbours of light.
2M is quite sufficient to maintain privacy.
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