Did the laws change for hedge cutting 23 May 2024?

[greenant88]

Hi,

 

A customer of mine has said that the law changed for hedge cutting, and it was news to me.

 

The part they pointed to was regarding agricultural land and apparently changed 23rd May 2024.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hedgerow-management-rules-cutting-and-trimming

 

My question is, I thought farmers couldn't cut hedges until autumn anyway? 

 

And, this new laws apply to me because I cut a hedge boarding an allotment so I cannot cut it this year until September?

 

I wanted to see if others were aware of these changes, and if so how they are affecting you.

 

Regards

[Haironyourchest]

Is the hedgerow part of a domestic property?

 

Exemptions

 

Boundaries of a private garden 

The hedgerow is within the curtilage of a dwelling house. Or the hedgerow marks the boundary of the curtilage of a dwelling house (this applies to both sides of the hedgerow). 

 

 

[greenant88]

Thank you - in this case its a hedge between a village playing field and the allotments .

[GarethM]

Neither are agricultural.

 

Whilst preferably wait, the responsibility for ensuring you're not disturbing nesting birds is on you before cutting.

 

Personally, face up your side if necessary.

Then wait till later in the year before knocking it right back to under 5ft as a dense hedge is better habit.

[tree-fancier123]

28 minutes ago, GarethM said:

Neither are agricultural.

it doesn't have to be agricultural to fall under the new rules, personally I would leave it till first week in September

I had a customer's neighbour hassle me about trimming a hedge going onto a pavement last year

'have you checked that for nests?' 'terrible the rate at which our wildlife is being destroyed' etc

I could have argued about abating a nuisance, but she could have countered with, hand shears would have sufficed to cut back encroaching bramble. The bit in the screenshot below is what I would be worried about - bottom paragraph

[tree-fancier123]

If it could be successfully argued that an allotment used only for household growing isn't agriculture, then it would appear 'legal' to trim it before, personally I can find 'safer' work less likeley to get a bollocking for that I would do and leave the allotment one till later, or even lose it if they aren't happy waiting, rather than try to become an expert in legal interpretation

[GarethM]

14 minutes ago, tree-fancier123 said:

it doesn't have to be agricultural to fall under the new rules, personally I would leave it till first week in September

I had a customer's neighbour hassle me about trimming a hedge going onto a pavement last year

'have you checked that for nests?' 'terrible the rate at which our wildlife is being destroyed' etc

I could have argued about abating a nuisance, but she could have countered with, hand shears would have sufficed to cut back encroaching bramble. The bit in the screenshot below is what I would be worried about - bottom paragraph

The legislation has always mentioned the RPA payments, which means agricultural not domestic.

 

Effectively if you receive grants you have to play by the rules, if you don't receive any subs it falls under the standard bird nesting rules which apply to everyone.

[tree-fancier123]

5 minutes ago, GarethM said:

The legislation has always mentioned the RPA payments, which means agricultural not domestic.

 

Effectively if you receive grants you have to play by the rules, if you don't receive any subs it falls under the standard bird nesting rules which apply to everyone.

you sound sure about it, and maybe you're right, I will have to have a deeper dive tonight, unless someone can highlight a page where it explicitly says about the RPA payments, so an allotment could be cut in August say

[GarethM]

13 minutes ago, tree-fancier123 said:

you sound sure about it, and maybe you're right, I will have to have a deeper dive tonight, unless someone can highlight a page where it explicitly says about the RPA payments, so an allotment could be cut in August say

It's in the enforcement section of that legislation.

[Tree monkey 1682]

13 hours ago, greenant88 said:

Hi,

 

A customer of mine has said that the law changed for hedge cutting, and it was news to me.

 

The part they pointed to was regarding agricultural land and apparently changed 23rd May 2024.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hedgerow-management-rules-cutting-and-trimming

 

My question is, I thought farmers couldn't cut hedges until autumn anyway? 

 

And, this new laws apply to me because I cut a hedge boarding an allotment so I cannot cut it this year until September?

 

I wanted to see if others were aware of these changes, and if so how they are affecting you.

 

Regards

I thought no one really did hedges due to the nesting season which ends Sept, the problem is are clients prepared to wait that long?

But this seems a new law or amendment to existing laws ....