Planning Enforcement

If your neighbour's evergreen hedge is too tall, it may detract from your reasonable enjoyment of your home or garden.

The problem may be easily settled. Try to solve the issue or reach a compromise with your neighbour before lodging a complaint with us. Contacting the Enfield Council should be the last resort. If not, your complaint may be rejected.

Under Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, you can complain about your neighbour's evergreen hedge to us but we will not act to mediate or negotiate on your behalf.

To justify your complaint

The hedge must be:

• More than two metres in height
• Growing on land owned by someone else
• Made up of a line of two or more trees/ shrubs
• Mostly evergreen or semi-evergreen
• Obstructing light or views even if there gaps in the foliage or between the trees/ shrubs

You must be:

• The owner or occupier (for example a tenant) of the property affected by the hedge.
• The property affected by the trees must be residential.

How to lodge a complaint

No documentation is needed when you first contact us.

If we are to take formal action, you have to complete a questionnaire and submit a fee of £350. Before completing this form, please read the guidance contained in Communities and Local Government (CLG) publications 'Over the garden hedge' and 'High hedges: complaining to the Council' and 'Enfield guide to completing the High Hedge complaint form'.

Your complaint will not be taken up if you do not fulfil all the criteria in the questionnaire.

How long it will take

Investigation

We aim to investigate and provide feedback to a complainant  within 40 working days of the complaint being registered.

Failure to comply with the requirements of a remedial notice would be an offence.

Conviction

If convicted in a magistrate's court, the hedge-owner could be fined up to £1,000. In addition to a fine or in place of it, the court might then issue an order for the offender to carry out the required work within a set period of time.

Failure to comply