Government consultants appointed to research this proposal have already established that millions of square meters of public pavements and highways have been encroached by overgrown hedges growing from privately owned land.
Their calculations show this as a source of considerable income through proposed fines for infringements of their proposed local bylaws.
Their calculations show this as a source of considerable income through proposed fines for infringements of their proposed local bylaws.
An early indication shows the proposed new measures may only apply to foliage that is forming a hedge and protruding more than 0.14m across a public right of way for the full length, or possibly part of the hedge.
A spokesperson stated ‘When foliage is growing from individual plants within an identified section, or sections the cumulative percentage width of growth in proportion to the pavement surface area alongside the offending plant, or plants will be taken into account when establishing the level of possible penalty to be imposed’ They continued ‘This simple formula will be used to calculate what actions are required’.
The spokesperson could not comment on the full range of this new legislation but did say ‘This new initiative is restricted to hedges, we are not branching into trees’.
A spokesperson stated ‘When foliage is growing from individual plants within an identified section, or sections the cumulative percentage width of growth in proportion to the pavement surface area alongside the offending plant, or plants will be taken into account when establishing the level of possible penalty to be imposed’ They continued ‘This simple formula will be used to calculate what actions are required’.
The spokesperson could not comment on the full range of this new legislation but did say ‘This new initiative is restricted to hedges, we are not branching into trees’.
This proposal, if passed will be monitored by specially equipped groups of Local Authority Regulatory Foliage Operatives [LARFO’s].
Offending property owners will be instructed to prune the offending growth at the optimum time of year to encourage re-growth. This will then necessitate a future visit by the LARFO’s to check for any reoccurring overhanging growth.
Offending property owners will be instructed to prune the offending growth at the optimum time of year to encourage re-growth. This will then necessitate a future visit by the LARFO’s to check for any reoccurring overhanging growth.
Subject to any cut backs of new government initiatives this proposal will be discussed in committee on April 1st 2014.