Council response to high hedge nuisance report

Dec 1 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

OWNERS of excessively high hedges could be forced to chop down the offending greenery if Scottish Government proposals become law.

Various options to deal with the growing problem have been compiled in a 52-page consultation document by Safer Scotland – recently presented to the Community Safety Committee of Perth and Kinross Council.

Councillor Mac Roberts said: “It’s strange someone wanting to erect a 1.8m high fence needs planning permission but a 20ft high hedge does not.”

The consultation document details four options which the Scottish Government would like considered:

l Option 1 –No government action;

l Option 2 – Promote existing remedies such as mediation;

l Option 3 – Strengthen and supplement existing remedies with research, guidance and title conditions; and

l Option 4 – Introduction of legislation which could be put into force to deal with the more serious cases of owners refusing to deal with high vegetation.

The committee agreed there are no effective tools to deal with the problem and councillors were unanimous in their support of options two and four.