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High Hedges

Prior to the Council being involved and formal applications being made, potential complainants need to carry out exhaustive actions themselves, including collecting detailed evidence and in particular attempting to resolve the matter amicably with their neighbours.

A complaint can be made using the appropriate form:

High Hedges: Complaint Form (50KB)

Guidance notes (57.6KB)

A charge of £500 (16.7KB), is payable; you may however be eligible for a reduction of this amount.

Scale of charges (16.7KB)

Further information

The following leaflets are available and provide additional advice:

Over the garden hedge - advises on appropriate hedge boundary treatment and agreement with your neighbour

High Hedges: complaining to the Council - advises on the various processes and stages that complainants and hedge owners will have to encounter in any eventual dealings with the Council.

Hedge height and light loss - assists in assessing whether an evergreen hedge is blocking too much daylight and sunlight to neighbouring properties.

These leaflets may be requested from Planning Control, telephone 01462 474206 or email planning.control@north-herts.gov.uk .

They are also available from the Customer Service Centre at the main Council offices in Gernon Road, Letchworth and at local libraries.

Further information and guidance on how you can agree a solution about problem high hedges, including the new legislation which allows local authorities to consider complaints under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, is available from Department for Communities and Local Government website.