High Hedges (Hansard, 15 October 2001)

§ Mr. Kidney
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will introduce legislation to control high hedges in residential areas. [6437]

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proposals he has to introduce(a) planning and (b) other controls on high hedges. [7205]

§ Ms Keeble
The Government will introduce legislation giving local authorities powers to deal with complaints about high hedges in residential areas as soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable.

§ Dr. Stoate
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will introduce legislation to give local authorities the power to fell nuisance cupressocyparis leylandii on private land. [7583]

§ Ms Keeble
As soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable, we will introduce legislation giving local authorities the power to deal with complaints about high hedges on private land. Under our proposals, authorities would be able to require landowners to keep the height of problem hedges within specified limits, but their powers would not extend to felling.