High Hedges - killed if cut to actional hedge height?

[benedmonds]

I have a client with a high hedge, completely neglected, you can't see easily from the pictures but the garden side takes up half the garden.

My advice was it should come out...  However the client LOVES IT.. she has been isolating for the last 2 years and sits watching the birds and is devastated about the possibility of it being removed.

 

The hedge was reduced to approx 7m as part of a remedial notice 4 or 5 years ago and cut back to the boundary by the neighbour.

She has had another remedial notice and the trees are to be cut to 4m. 

Contractors arranged by the council or neighbour (it is a little confusing)  turned up in March 2020 but left when a nest was found.

 

In my opinion a reduction of 4m is likely to kill most of the trees. The branches loop down so if reduced to 4m there will be not much left.. It is possible that the two end trees will survive such treatment, any surviving trees will offer very little amenity  value.  

 

I have a vague memory, but can't recall. Can an actional hedge height be applied if it is going to result in the death of the hedge? Am I imagining this?

[Khriss]

Hideous - fell it. K

Edited October 26, 2021 by Khriss
( got the CAVAT value of a bog brush 😑 )

[Retired Climber]

Agree with Khriss. That has no value as it is, if it's reduced it will be a line of sticks. If it has to be reduced, it has to be felled. 

[Treerover]

They look like Leyland Cypress which aren’t as pendulous in their habit as Lawson for example .
Scaling the hedge from the 6’ fence it looks to me like the reduction will be half between the top and the fence top. That looks like you may get away with reducing it and it looking relatively ok from your customers side .
I think if it’s so important to her then it’s worth trying to find a way to placate her.
The fact the neighbour has already stripped their side to bare stems makes me thing they are not overly bothered by aesthetics, and as such I’d not be paying them much mind

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

The hedge owner has / had the right of appeal against the remedial notice - did they exercise that right at the time the notice was served?  
 

That would have been the time / opportunity to present the argument (however tenuous it might be) that excessive reduction might lead to complete loss. 

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Remedial notice may not require reduction below 2m retained height nor removal. 
 

‘Removal’ includes any action which would result in death or destruction. 

 

Arboricultural advice should be obtained by the authority issuing the notice to ensure prescribed action is appropriate (for the tree.)

 

If you can successfully argue that excessive height reduction will result in complete demise of hedge there could be a valid challenge. 
 

Would have been easier if hedge owner had appealed notice early on. 
 

Mynors 6.4.5 p156
 

 

[monkeybusiness]

I can’t see that dying if reduced to 4m - there appears to be a lot of growth on the owner’s side. 
Send lads in unbranded vans and other company shirts, cut to spec and deny to anyone that you were ever there when questioned about the state of the finished job…

[dan blocker]

What is she a client for🤔, doesn’t look like there’s much tree work been done there unless your waiting for the big job to come off😳.
Just imagine living next to her😫. Known in the past as a neighbour from hell? And still relevant today. 
As far as the neighbour not being too bothered with the hedge being stripped back to the stems🤔of course they do! It’s a bloody eyesore but what are the neighbours meant to do? Allow it to overgrow on their side like she as! How does she manage to see the birds? They’ve got a jungle to hide in.

Interestingly the phots are from next door and the road? Is she still isolating or just a recluse😳. That so called hedge needs to come down, pure and simple.

[Peasgood]

Leyland hedges never seem to host much beyond pigeons and magpies anyway, apart from a few robins perhaps. A hawthorn hedge would be easier managed for aesthetics and host a much wider range of birdlife.

[daveatdave]

looks like it has not been touched since it was done 4 or 5 years ago and i bet that was the first time since it was planted go in with a god price to do it to 4 mts i think most of it will come back at the top but it will not look good it would be better to take  it off at floor height and start again