News Release

11 March 2003

An end for Britain's monster hedges?

   Hedgeline, the national lobby and support group for the victims of high hedges, is continuing to monitor the passage of new legislation through Parliament. On Friday 7 March, the High Hedges Bill sponsored by Baroness Gardner of Parkes completed its third and final reading in the House of Lords and will now be sent to the House of Commons. Another High Hedges Bill, sponsored by Stephen Pound MP, is scheduled for its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday 28 March. The content of the Bills is essentially the same and one of them will give way to the other. The proposed legislation will permit complaints about hedges adversely affecting reasonable enjoyment of domestic properties and is to be enforced by the local authorities.

    Hedgeline has recently run advertisements in national newspapers asking for victims to write to their MPs and request parliamentary support. The second reading of Stephen Pound’s High Hedges Bill on Friday 28 March is seen as a critical stage for the proposed new law. Only if a sufficient number of MPs attend this and later debates does his Private Members Bill have any realistic prospect of success. Hedgeline is fortunate in having strong Government and cross-party support for its five-year old initiative to end the disputes between hedge owners and victims that have blighted thousands of properties.

    Tony McNulty MP, Parliamentary-under-Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said in a recent letter to a Hedgeline member's MP: "We welcome both of these initiatives and are working with Baroness Gardner and Stephen Pound to try to ensure that we are able to get fair and workable measures onto the statute book. I know from my postbag how important this issue is to people and I hope that as many Members [of Parliament] as possible will be in the Chamber when Stephen Pound's Bill is debated."

    Baroness Gardner said: "The aim is for hedges to be of reasonable, not oppressive height; it should be possible for them to be trimmed regularly; and they should be the sort of hedges that people would choose for a garden of a given size and which they would not consider too bad to impose on a neighbour."

    Lord Graham of Edmonton added: " The noble Baroness, Lady Gardner of Parkes, and I have pursued this matter for four or five years...taking up the cudgels on behalf of thousands of people in this country who have been so frightened and terrorised by nasty neighbours."

    "I hope this is an end to darkness at noon for many households, and the march of the great green giants can finally be halted," said Stephen Pound MP.

    Clare Hinchliffe, Hedgeline Policy Director, commented: "It’s been a five-year battle by Hedgeline to gain recognition for the many serious and distressing problems caused by high hedges. Hedgeline is delighted with the significant progress made since the two High Hedges Bills were introduced last year to Parliament by Baroness Gardner of Parkes and Stephen Pound MP. The Government has closely listened to Hedgeline’s concerns and we continue to receive active support from politicians of all parties. The new law could be just months away and, vigorously enforced by the local authorities, it promises much-needed relief for tens of thousands of suffering hedge victims."

Hedge Victims and a Challenge to the Media

    Can you find an example of a high hedge that’s caused more problems than the examples below? You might like to invite your readers, viewers or listeners to send in their suggestions for Britain’s worst hedge. Alternatively, please contact the victims listed here:

Unsaleable bungalow (Lincoln): Hedge 20 foot high by 20 foot long with a four foot overhang. Once potential purchasers saw the outlook from this bungalow’s lounge, they lost interest. Nothing grows in the shade. The property was then rented but four sets of tenants proved unsatisfactory. On the last approach to his neighbour, the hedge victim was told: "If you feel so strongly about it, take us to court". Contact: Karl, 01522 821419.

81-year old victim (Scunthorpe): 200 foot long hedge originally over 40 foot high with six foot overhang. Currently reduced to 15 foot high. The six foot of overhang partly touching the victim’s bungalow was removed from the 200 foot length. Damage to greenhouse. The victim says " It’s now just brown, untidy and disgusting. I’m so frustrated, I don’t know what to do". Contact: John, 01724 843164.

Living in the Shade (Leyland, Lancashire): The property owner lives in the shade of a 30 foot Leylandii hedge just four feet from his house. Photographs of this hedge are available at www.hedgeline.org/jhdgphot07.htm. Contact: Andrew, 07850 763535.

Frustrated Gardener, age 77 (Salford): A neighbour’s high hedge has ended a hobby of growing prize carnations. Three apple trees and all the rhubarb have died due to lack of sunshine. "If the politicians saw my garden they would understand what we are saying". Contact: Hilda, 0161 794 4610.

Hemmed in by Hedges (Southampton): Leylandii hedges covering three sides of the garden; one 150 foot long by 50 foot high; another 60 foot high; the third is 50 foot high. One of the hedges is 6 feet from the side of the house. Lack of light requires kitchen lights on continually, the rest of the house is always dark and cold. Drainpipes are constantly blocked with debris. Unable to grow plants due to a lack of sunlight and moisture. "If we look out of the bedroom, kitchen or dining room windows, all we see are trees" Contact: Ron & Annie, 01489 557762 or 07973 678 312.

Hedge Persecution (Cambridge): A psychiatrist helping political prisoners in mental homes left Russia to escape the attentions of the KGB. Now facing persecution by a problem high hedge. Contact: Marina, 01223 367747

Property Damage and Insurance Refusal (Coventry): High hedge damage to parking area and garage foundations. Refused insurance. Contact: Devendra, 0247 641 5417

Property Damage, re-planting following court case (London): A Leylandii hedge, which was cracking the garden wall, was removed after a court case. There was immediate replanting of seven 12-foot high Leylandii. Six of them remain today and are now 30 foot high. The garden is in gloom and the wall is cracking again. Contact: May & Liane, 020 7289 1448.

£40,000 Property Devaluation (Teignmouth): A sea view has been taken away by an 80 foot high hedge. The hedge victim has been advised of a £40,000 property devaluation as a result. Contact: David, 01626 777880.

Five Gardens Shaded Out (Bradford on Avon): A double row of 175 Leylandii 30 foot high has put five gardens into gloom. Contact: Val, 01225 865946

Property Damage and Replanting (Solihull): Legal aid helped the hedge victim remove a problem hedge after property damage. The hedge owner then replanted a 30 foot length of 5 metre (16 foot) high Leylandii just two metres (6' 6") away. Contact: Alan, 0121 706 7597

30 years of gloom, damage and hazardous maintenance (Birmingham):. Contact: Clare Hinchliffe, 0121 449 8330 E-mail: clare.h@hedgeline.org. Photographs at www.hedgeline.org/Jhdgphot03.htm.

£100,000 costs (Birmingham): This well-known hedge victim fought a five-year legal battle because he cut the neighbour’s hedge. The case was only won because of special covenants on the land. The legal costs were over £100,000. If the victim had not won the case, he would have lost his house. Contact: Hedgeline Founder Michael Jones, 0121 472 4540 Fax 0121 449 3592

4,000 Other Members (Nationwide): Hedgeline has around 4,000 members all of whom could tell similar stories or worse while estimates show that there are 20,000 - 50,000 nuisance hedges. More hedge victims willing to talk to the media are listed at www.hedgeline.org/jcontacts.htm. Note: Victims’ telephone numbers are not for publication in the media without permission.

About Hedgeline

    Formed in 1998, Hedgeline (www.hedgeline.org) is a large lobby and support group with over 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 light deprivation, 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.

Hedgeline Photographs: www.hedgeline.org/photos.htm

Hedgeline’s Regional Workers: www.hedgeline.org/hdg4Regns.htm

Electronic text for this news release is at www.hedgeline.org/news.htm

Media Enquiries Only (Telephone numbers not for publication in the media without permission)