Overgrown Hedges and Trees Bordering Roads and Paths
You may not be aware that there are laws governing the encroachment of trees and hedging bordering footways and roads.
There should be clearance of at least 2.2m (7’ 2’’) above a footway, pavement, or verge to allow pedestrians free passage.
Hedges/vegetation should be cut back to the property boundary line so as not to overhang or encroach onto the highway (meaning carriageway, footway, or verge). It is very easy for hedges to get thicker just by a little bit each year, despite being cut back regularly, to the extent that they eventually take up quite a lot of space on a pavement. That hedge may require some radical pruning to put it back where it should be. Indeed, your hedges may need more than one pruning session to keep them inside your boundary line.
Hughenden Parish Council (HPC) own very few hedges, mostly around allotments, the Common in Great Kingshill and some open areas. HPC also looks after a small number of hedges on behalf of Buckinghamshire Council. The vast majority of hedges are owned by you, our parishioners.
We request that you check all of your boundaries to make sure that you are compliant with the above. Especially those with hedges bordering pavements and encroaching onto roads.
Hedges should not be cut within the period 1st March to the 1st September, to support our wildlife, unless they are causing a risk to health and safety, when they can be cut back regardless of date.
Should you be unable to maintain your hedges within the legal guidelines, please contact the office who may be able to suggest a list of contractors who undertake this type of work.
If you are not sure which are your boundaries hedges, you can check them at
https://mywycombe.wycombe.gov.uk/ by clicking My Maps option and ticking the Land Ownership category. This will take you to the website where you can purchase land registry details of your property which may help you.