Poots Introduces High Hedges Legislation

Legislation designed to help people adversely affected by high hedges near their property has been introduced in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The Bill will empower local councils to act in disputes over loss of light to a domestic property due to a neighbouring high hedge.

The Bill will apply to lines of two or more evergreen or semi-evergreen trees and will introduce a system similar to that which has been operating successfully in England and Wales since 2005.

"I know very well the distress and inconvenience that can arise for neighbours when high hedges are not maintained and allowed to grow way beyond a reasonable height," said Environment Minister, Edwin Poots.


"When I took up office I promised to act quickly to introduce legislation to alleviate the problem. I am very pleased to be introducing the High Hedges Bill today, so that it can begin its passage through the Assembly."

Public consultation on a draft High Hedges Bill closed on 1 March 2010 and attracted many responses from all over Northern Ireland.

The Minister continued: "This indicates clearly the interest in the problem being tackled to help people who have been upset or inconvenienced due to an unreasonably high hedge. This legislation will afford people, who have endured being in the shadow of a neighbour’s high hedge, a means of redress.

"I am encouraged by the many positive responses to the public consultation on the draft Bill, and these have been very helpful in contributing to the final version introduced today," he said.

(NS/GK)