High Hedges Bill to Become Law

5.03.27pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Oct 2003

Vincent Cable MP for Twickenham

The many parliamentary obstacles to bring in a Bill to deal with the neighbour nuisance caused by aggressive tree growth - particularly leylandii - are close to being overcome. It is now expected that the so called High Hedges Bill will become law by the end of the year.

One of the Bill's supporters, MP Vincent Cable, welcomed the development and said that it offered "the prospect of some relief to large numbers of people who have seen their environment adversely affected by neighbours who have planted some of the rapid growth tree varieties like leylandii, which block light and overwhelm small gardens. Some poisonous neighbour disputes have grown up over this problem and at present there is absolutely nothing which residents, and the council, can do about it. The new Bill gives councils powers to require pruning to remove the nuisance. I welcome the legislation".