Monday 16 November 2015
The Environment Department wishes to provide an update on the current position regarding High Hedges legislation.
States approval was granted in July 2015 to the policy principles regarding the introduction of new legislation to control high hedges, as recommended by the Environment Department. It is now necessary for the proposals to be assessed for drafting prioritisation and, subject to that, the new legislation itself to be drafted by the Law Officers of the Crown. The new legislation must then be submitted for approval by the States of Guernsey and for Royal Sanction by the Privy Council on behalf of the Queen, before it can be enacted.
Further publicity will be given prior to the enactment of the legislation, which is anticipated to be submitted to the States during 2016 subject to the prioritisation process referred to above.
Once the proposed legislation is in force, it will be possible for an application to be made to the Environment Department in connection with a high hedge which an applicant feels is causing amenity problems in terms of loss of light. A fee will be charged for the application. However, the legislation is intended to act as a last resort, when all other reasonable attempts to resolve the problem through discussion with the owner of the high hedge have failed.
The Environment Department will be publishing further guidance regarding the procedures for making a high hedges application prior to the coming into force of the new legislation.
Contact Information:
Jim Rowles, Director of Planning
Environment Department
Tel: 717200
