Wednesday December 10th 2025
Offending hedge in property in Morebattle Road, Town Yetholm
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A fed-up villager has made a legal bid to Scottish Borders Council to force their next door neighbour to cut back a 12ft-plus hedge which they say is blocking out light to their home.
An application for a High Hedge Notice has been submitted by a resident in Morebattle Road in Town Yetholm.
A High Hedge Notice is a legal order from a local council compelling a neighbour to cut back a tall hedge that blocks light or access to your home, under laws such as the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 (UK) or High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013.
To get one, you must prove the hedge (two or more trees/shrubs over 2m high forming a light barrier) negatively affects your property and that you’ve tried all reasonable steps (talking, writing, mediation) to resolve it with the owner first.
An application to make a High Hedge Order also requires you to pay a fee of £400 to the council.
In their submission to SBC the applicant states: “The now excessive height (over 12 feet high) prevents all sunlight from entering our main west facing sitting room – except from mid to late afternoon in the summer months when some sunlight reaches the north side of the room.”
The statement says that since their neighbour moved into their property in 2007 “our rear garden has suffered from increasingly restricted sunlight”.
It adds: “Approximately half to two thirds of the garden (which we use daily) is now in the shade of the hedge from early afternoon. In winter, any sunshine is restricted to the far north side of the garden.
“We have had to restrict and change the size and shape of the herbaceous border which runs parallel to the hedge to mostly shade tolerant plants.
“At the top (west end of the garden) we have a ‘greenhouse’which we use as a sitting area – especially in the winter. On a sunny day it retains the warmth. This is no longer possible.
“The hedge is a beech hedge but in winter the majority of the leaves remain intact and the width (thickness) prevents any light getting through. In the spring that side of our garden is deeply covered by beech leaves.
“Please note too that the whole hedge is now developing into trees.”
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