Complaining about a neighbour’s tall hedge? Check out how much it costs

That’s £360 - five times more than any other area in NI, says Alliance Cllr Eóin Tennyson.

Cllr Tennysonsays the Council must make it easier for people to deal with high hedges.

He said: “As it stands, where mediation fails in dealing with concerns around high hedges – which can often be a real nuisance and source of frustration and stress for people affected – raising an official complaint in the ABC area costs up to five times more than other areas in NI.

“Often people dealing with high hedge disputes have no choice but to make an official complaint, which is why it is difficult to comprehend why ABC Council insists on charging applicants £360 – adding financial strain to an already stressful situation.

“While the fee is returned to the applicant if the complaint is upheld, this is still a large outlay which can be prohibitive for residents seeking resolution to a problem that has often been lingering for some time.

“The fee is set by Councils, so while in other areas like Derry and Strabane Council it costs £50 to pursue a complaint, I must question why the fee is so excessive for people to access the same service in the ABC area.

“That’s why we are not only calling for a review of the costs of high hedge complaints in ABC Council, but have urged officers to advance the development of a mediation toolkit or resource to help resolve a greater number of disputes at an earlier stage.”

A Council spokesperson said: “The matter of high hedges was raised at this week’s Environmental Services Committee. It was agreed that a report, which would include how the fee was set within the framework of the council’s fee setting policy and the investigation process, would be brought to next month’s Environmental Services Committee.”