High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013 (asp 6): explanatory notes

Format:

Corporate Author:

Scotland Scottish Parliament

Publisher:

TSO (The Stationery Office)

The Act provides for applications to be made to a relevant local authority where a high hedge on neighbouring land is considered to be having an adverse effect on the reasonable enjoyment of domestic property. The Act gives the local authority powers to settle disputes between neighbours related to high hedges. If the local authority, having taken all views into account, finds that the hedge is having an adverse effect, it could issue a high hedge notice requiring the hedge owner to take action to remedy the problem and prevent it recurring. Failure to comply with such a notice would allow the authority to go in and do the work itself, recovering the costs from the hedge owner. There is a right of appeal to the Scottish Ministers against decisions of an authority and any high hedge notice issued by it.