May 15, 2002

Hedgeline, the national lobby and support group for the victims of high hedges, has announced a Code of Practice for Hedge Growers. In the continued absence of promised Government legislation, the new code not only provides advice to hedge growers but also gives hedge victims additional support to help solve their problems. Hedgeline also hopes that the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) will include the Code of Practice in a proposed advice leaflet.

The Code of Practice has been designed to offer advice to hedge growers by drawing attention to the many problems that hedges can cause. It has also been prompted by the continued lack of legislation despite Government promises to introduce a statutory complaints system administered by local authorities. Hedgeline believes that the DTLR leaflet should focus strongly on hedge growers by including its Code of Practice.

"Hedgeline's Code of Practice for Hedge Growers is an important step forward in our national campaign to end the problems caused by high hedges. While we welcome the Government's continued support for our aims, we also want to see the promised legislation introduced as soon as possible. Although the Government's advice leaflet is a good idea, there's no point in telling the victims of problem hedges how to behave towards their tormentors. Currently in preparation by the DTLR, the leaflet must firmly concentrate on those causing the trouble by including a Code of Practice for Growers. The Government then has to deliver the right legislation to help end the problems for thousands of hedge victims," said Michael Jones, Founder and Honorary Life President of Hedgeline.

Labour MP, Dr Lynne Jones, who became involved with Michael Jones' hedge problem several years ago, has a long-standing interest in Hedgeline's aims."I welcome Hedgeline's Code of Practice which will be a useful resource for people living with the problems caused by giant hedges but until we get a change in the law, I fear that people will still suffer because of high hedges", commented Dr Lynne Jones, MP for Selly Oak, Birmingham.

About Hedgeline .
Formed in 1998, Hedgeline (Hedgeline.org) is a large lobby and support group with around 4,000 members. Its primary objective is the effective legislative control of problem hedges of all species in residential areas. The issues caused by high hedges include lack of light, subsidence and many other problems that adversely affect people's enjoyment of their homes and gardens. Working through local groups across the United Kingdom, Hedgeline provides members with comprehensive advice and information by drawing on the practical experiences of thousands of hedge victims

Additional Information
Because of the unsatisfactory legal situation concerning hedges, Hedgeline does not generally advise starting full legal proceedings against a problem hedge grower. While it cannot offer outright solutions, it has documented a few practical strategies that have helped some people. Victims of a neighbour's high hedge or sympathisers wishing to join Hedgeline should ring the Hedgeline information number, 0870 240 0624, or visit the website at Hedgeline.org. Victims are also strongly advised to contact their MP to talk about the problems before taking any further action

Hedgeline's Code of Practice for Hedge Growers

• Before you lay claim to very high levels of privacy for yourself, think what this may mean to your neighbour. A hedge has two sides to it and concerns your neighbour as much as yourself. If your neighbours come to see you about your hedge, then they have a reasonable cause for complaint about it. Listen carefully to what they have to say about your hedge. It is very likely to be causing them severe problems and they have every right to make these known to you.

• Always make sure that your hedge is suitable for your neighbour's property and that it :-
  1. does not oppress your neighbours or give them cause to feel shut-in by dark high walls;
  2. is not so high as to take their light;
  3. does not take sunlight from their windows or garden, especially in the winter months when the sun is low and no one wants extra gloom;
  4. is not likely to suck their soil dry, and spoil their gardening;
  5. is not likely to cause subsidence or in other ways damage their property;
  6. does not give them a hazardous or impossible job when it comes to trimming time, (trimming a hedge much above head height, without a rigid platform, is recognised to be unsafe and this will be confirmed by nearly all professional tree experts).
  7. is not likely to make their house unattractive to potential buyers if it is put on the market.

• Look around you. See the heights which the vast majority of people choose to have for the hedges in their own gardens of corresponding size to yours. These are common-sense heights and you should not be forcing a higher hedge on an unwilling neighbour. Most people grow hedges of up to two metres in their own small gardens and hedges over this height will certainly cause problems to your neighbours, if they have a small garden.

• Remember that a properly maintained hedge at a mutually acceptable height will provide benefits for you and your neighbour for many years.