MSPs urge more action on 'hedge rage' disputes

More action is needed to deal with neighbour disputes involving high garden hedges, according to MSPs.

Holyrood's Local Government and Communities Committee has been reviewing a law introduced to tackle the issue two years ago.

MSPs heard that some neighbours had been removing alternate plants so that they were no longer classed as a hedge.

The committee convenor said the law was not working in the spirit in which it was intended.

The High Hedges (Scotland) Act came into force in 2014 to resolve neighbourhood rows over hedges which grow more than two metres tall and block out light.

The committee said people often tried to avoid action by disputing whether their plants should properly be categorised as a hedge.

But local authority representatives also raised concern that widening the definition might lead to the removal of trees.

'Non-hedge'

Committee convener Bob Doris said: "Our committee heard directly from homeowners across Scotland, and many of them spoke of the serious impact high hedges had on their quality of life.

"Some even said they felt they were forced to live in the shadows because of hedges blocking natural light to their homes. Quite clearly, if someone's life is made a misery from blocked-out light, this must be addressed.

"While there are examples of the High Hedges Act working well for communities, it's clear that it's not currently operating in the full spirit, as was intended.

"For example, we found that some local authorities dismissed applications as they deemed a row of trees or shrubs to be a 'non-hedge' despite the detrimental impact on homeowners."

The committee made several recommendations aimed at improving the legislation, including clarifying "what is and what is not a high hedge".

It also suggests that applications be dealt with on the basis of the impact of the vegetation rather than if the barrier was originally planted as a hedge, and that the cost of successful applications should be paid by the hedge owner.