Planning
High hedges and the law: the 2 metre rule
A neighbour's evergreen hedge of two or more trees over 2 metres that blocks your light can be taken to the council under the 2003 Act, but only as a last resort, and the council charges a fee.
In short
A high hedge, in law, is a line of two or more mostly-evergreen trees or shrubs over 2 metres tall that blocks light or access. Under Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, if such a hedge is affecting the enjoyment of your property you can ask the council to step in, but only after you have genuinely tried to settle it with your neighbour first. The council charges a fee to consider a complaint, and if it agrees it can issue a remedial notice requiring work, though it cannot order the hedge cut below 2 metres.
The thresholds
Where the line sits
The high hedges rules exist for one common dispute: a neighbour's tall evergreen hedge blocking light. In law a high hedge is a line of two or more mostly-evergreen trees or shrubs that rises above 2 metres and forms a barrier to light or access. A single tree, or a deciduous hed
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| What counts as a high hedge | A line of two or more mostly-evergreen trees over 2 metres |
| Who you complain to | The local council, as a last resort |
| Try first | You must have tried to resolve it with the neighbour |
| Council fee | Charged per complaint, and it varies by council |
| Lowest it can be cut to | Not below 2 metres |
| Appeals | Either side, within 28 days of the decision |
Source: Gardenscape. Figures as of 2026-06-01.
Yes, no, or it depends
Scenarios in plain language
Not directly. You can ask, and if that fails you can complain to the council under the high hedges rules, but only after trying to resolve it amicably, and the council charges a fee to consider it.
No. The rules apply to a line of two or more mostly-evergreen trees or shrubs. A single tree or a deciduous hedge is not covered.
You can usually cut overhanging branches back to the boundary line, but the cuttings belong to your neighbour and you must not harm the health of the tree, especially if it is protected.
The local layer
Designated land and Article 4
The high hedges rules exist for one common dispute: a neighbour's tall evergreen hedge blocking light. In law a high hedge is a line of two or more mostly-evergreen trees or shrubs that rises above 2 metres and forms a barrier to light or access. A single tree, or a deciduous hedge, is not covered. The route is set out in Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, and it is deliberately a last resort. You are expected to have tried to resolve it directly with your neighbour first. Only then can you ask the council to consider it, and the council charges a fee, partly to keep it as a genuin
A note
General guidance, not advice. Rules vary by site, and Article 4 directions or conditions can change what applies. Check with your local authority and the Planning Portal.
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