High hedges and hedgerows

Hedgerows play an important role in the landscape, providing attractive boundary treatments, defining land boundaries and providing important habitat for wildlife.

Hedgerows are covered by the Hedgerow Regulations 1997. Generally, the legislation means that it is against the law to remove or destroy certain hedgerows without notifying the council first. 

Permission to remove hedgerows

If you wish to remove a hedgerow, or part of a hedgerow, you will need to complete a Hedgerow Removal Notice. You can apply online through the Planning Portal or you can download the necessary forms and guidance from the application forms page of this website.

You should clearly show on a plan, the location/length of the hedgerow to be removed and where any part of the hedgerow was planted less than 30 years ago. If possible, please include evidence of planting date.

You will need permission to remove a hedgerow if it is on, or runs alongside:

• agricultural land
• common land, including town and village greens
• land used for forestry or the breeding or keeping of horses, ponies or donkeys
• a local nature reserve or Site of Special Scientific Interest

Permission is also required if the hedgerow is a minimum of 20 metres in length, over 30 years old or contains certain species of plants.

You do not need permission to remove a hedgerow if:

• it is less than 20 metres in length (unless both ends join up with other hedges or is part of a larger hedge)
• it is in, or borders your garden although such hedges can be subject to a retention requirement under a planning condition, you should check any consents or check with our trees team
• you are removing it to gain access, either in place of an existing access provided new hedging is planted to fill the original gap, or when another means of entry is not available (except at disproportionate cost); you are advised to contact the trees team prior to starting work
• you are removing it to gain temporary access in the case of an emergency

Normal management and maintenance of a hedgerow does not require permission.

High hedges

If you own a fast-growing hedge, it would be considered neighbourly to maintain it at a reasonable height so that it does not cause distress to occupiers of adjoining properties.

If you are adversely affected by a high hedge and wish to report it, you should follow the steps below.

Step 1: Speak to your neighbour

Try to speak with your neighbour and make them aware of your concerns.  

Follow up, if possible, by sitting down and talking through the issues and try to come to an amicable solution. If your neighbour refuses to talk to you or you are nervous about approaching them in person, you can send them a polite letter explaining your concerns and inviting them to discuss them with you.  

The government has produced some helpful guidance called Over the Garden Hedge.

You should keep a record of what action you have taken (for example, copies of letters).  

If the dispute has been ongoing for a considerable length of time, you will be asked to provide evidence showing that you have made an attempt to resolve the matter within the preceding months. 

Step 2: Make a complaint  

You can make a complaint about a High Hedge under Part 8 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act in writing by email or letter, by downloading and submitting the application form below, with any supporting evidence or relevant documentation as well as the fee of £555.00.

If you have not been able to resolve an issue with a high hedge directly with the owner as per Step 1, to make a complaint the following criteria must apply:

• the hedge must be over 2 metres in height  
• the hedge must be evergreen or mostly evergreen  
• the hedge must be growing on someone else's land  
• the hedge must be made up of at least 2 trees or shrubs  
• the hedge must be a barrier to light or access  
• the complaint must relate to domestic properties  

The role of the council is not to mediate or negotiate between the two parties, but to adjudicate as a neutral 'third party' on whether, in the words of the act; the hedge is "adversely affecting the complainant's reasonable enjoyment of their property".  

Provided you have tried and exhausted all other avenues for resolving the dispute, you can submit a formal complaint to the council using our high hedges complaint form.

If you wish to discuss the matter before completing the high hedges complaint form, please contact our Planning Enforcement team by emailing planning.enforcement@eastcambs.gov.uk.