Countryside hedges: protection and management

The
Hedgerow Regulations (1997) protect countryside hedgerows of a certain age or length, and those in certain locations.

Countryside hedgerows include those which are on or next to:

• land used for agriculture or forestry
• a village green
• a site of special scientific interest
• a nature reserve

Anyone proposing to remove part or all of a hedgerow which is protected must apply to us by submitting a Hedgerow Removal Notice.

Check if a hedgerow is protected

See GOV.UK guidance to
check the criteria for protected hedgerows, and find out
when you don’t need to apply to remove a hedgerow.

Apply to remove a protected hedgerow

• 
  Hedgerow removal notice(PDF, 567KB)
• Hedgerow removal notice - guidance note(PDF, 53KB)
• Checklist for Hedgerow removal notice(PDF, 30KB)

We will respond to your notice within 42 days of receipt, and issue one of the following documents:

• a hedgerow retention notice – if the hedge is protected and must be kept
• a written notice giving you permission to remove it in the way you‘ve proposed

Appeal a decision

You can
appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if you are unhappy with our decision. You must appeal within 28 days of the date on the notice we have sent you.

Check if you can do other work on a hedgerow

Before trimming, cutting, coppicing or laying hedgerow trees, you must check if:

• there’s a
  tree preservation order in place
• it’s in a
  conservation area
• you need a felling licence - issued by the
  Forestry Commission
• there are any nesting birds – you must not do any
  work which might harm wild birds or destroy their nests