Environment Minister Alex Attwood said that new legislation designed to resolve disputes over high hedges, will become law on 31 March.

The Northern Ireland High Hedges Act is designed to help people who are adversely affected by high hedges bordering their domestic property. The Act deals specifically with evergreen and semi-evergreen hedges that are more than 2-metres in height acting as a barrier to light to a neighbouring domestic property.

Commenting on the legislation, the Minister said: "This is an important piece of legislation which I hope will go a long way towards reducing the number of disputes over high hedges.

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"District councils will have an important role in administering and enforcing the legislation. They will investigate complaints and will have the power to issue remedial notices requiring hedge owners to take action to reduce the height of a hedge found to be causing a problem.

"However, before bringing a complaint, complainants will be expected to have discussed the issue with their neighbour in an effort to resolve the dispute.

"I hope that the very existence of the Act and its financial implications will be an added incentive for neighbours to reach agreement."

Failure to comply with the terms of a notice served by the Council will be an offence. The penalty for non-compliance with a remedial notice will be a fine of up to £1,000. There is also provision for a further fine for continued non-compliance.

(CD/GK)