QUESTIONNAIRE ON NUISANCE HIGH HEDGES

Instructions on how to complete this Questionnaire:

  1. This questionnaire can be completed on your computer and emailed to or printed and sent to the below postal address:

Wilfrid Reavie

Planning Service Headquarters
High Hedges Consultation
3rd Floor Millennium House
17 - 25 Great Victoria Street
Belfast
BT2 7BN

  1. Advice on how to respond to each individual question is provided in the consultation document. The questions should therefore be read in conjunction with pages 7-17 of the full document.
  1. Questions which require a Yes or No answer can be completed by ticking the appropriate box.
  1. Where requested, please give further details in the box provided. Should you require extra space to make comments, please use the additional comments box in Q25.

SECTION 1: ABOUT THE HEDGE

Q1Do you have concerns about aneighbour’s high hedge?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q25

Q2Is the hedge – or the portion of it that is causing problems – made up of a line of 2 or more trees or shrubs?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q25

Q3Is the problem hedge:

Evergreen

Semi-evergreen

Deciduous

Q4What species does the hedge consist of?

Leylandii / Hawthorne
Lawson cypress / Holly
Castlewellan Gold / Beech
Laurel / Other
Privet / Don’t know

Enter text in the grey box

If you ticked ‘Other’, please give details:

Q5Is it more than 2 metresabove ground level?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q25

Q6Does the hedge detract from the reasonableenjoyment of your home or garden because it is too tall? Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q25

Q7Please indicate how the hedge, because of its height, is detracting from the reasonable enjoyment of your home or garden (more than one box may be ticked):

Obstruction of light

Blocking of views

Oppressive / Disproportionate to the size of your property

Damage to plants

Poor soil conditions Overhanging branches Litter dropped by the hedge Other

Enter text in the grey box

If you ticked ‘Other’, please give details:

Q8Have the roots of the hedge caused any damage to drains or other structures on your property?

Yes

No

Q9Are there any gaps in the hedge above 2 metres?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q11

Q10Even though there might be gaps in the foliage or between the trees or shrubs, is the hedge still capable of obstructing light or views?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q25

Q11Have you seen any birds or bats nesting or roosting in the hedge?

Yes

No

SECTION 2: ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY

Q12Are you the owner or occupier (e.g. tenant) of the property affected by the hedge?

Owner

Occupier

If you are the owner, please go to Q14

Q13Who owns the property affected by the hedge?

A landlord in the private rented sector

The Housing Executive

A Housing Association

Other

Enter text in the grey box

If you ticked ‘Other’, please give details:

Q14Do you consider that the presence of a high hedge has had an impact on the value of your property?

Yes

No

Enter text in the grey box

If your answer is ‘Yes’, please comment:

Q15Is your property:

In residentialuse
In commercial use

In a mixture of residential and commercial uses

If your property is in residential use only, please go to Q17

If your property is in commercial use only, please go to Q25

Q16If your property is in a mixture of residential and commercial uses, is the problem hedge affecting the residential part of the property?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q25

SECTION 3: WHERE THE HEDGE IS GROWING

Q17Is the problem hedge growing on land bordering your property?

Yes

No

Enter text in the grey box

If your answer is ‘No’, please say where the hedge is growing in relation to your property:

Q18Is the problem hedge growing on:

Residential property

Commercial/Industrial property

Agricultural land

Forestry land

Other

Enter text in the grey box

If you ticked ‘Other’, please give details:

Q19If the property on which the hedge is growing is residential, does it belong to:

The current occupier

A landlord in the private rented sector

The Housing Executive

A Housing Association

Other

Don’t know

Enter text in the grey box

If you ticked ‘Other’, please give details:

SECTION 4: ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE COMPLAINT

Q20Have you tried to resolve the problem with your neighbour?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q22

Enter text in the grey box

If your answer is ‘No’, please comment:

Q21Did you use mediation services in your attempt to resolve the problem?

Yes

No

Enter text in the grey box

If your answer is ‘Yes’, please explain why mediation was unsuccessful:

Q22Have you complained to anyone other than the hedge owner?

Yes

No

If your answer is ‘No’, please go to Q25

Q23Have you complained to, or sought advice from, any of the following:

The Planning Service

The Court Service

Your local Council

Your MP/MEP/MLA

Your Solicitor

PSNI

Other

Enter text in the grey box

If you ticked ‘Other’, please give details:

Q24Have you taken any civil action against the hedge owner
(i.e. have you pursued the matter through the courts)?

Yes

No

Enter text in the grey box

If your answer is ‘Yes’, please explain why taking civil action did not help to resolve the problem:

SECTION 5: ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Q25Whether or not you have concerns about a neighbour’s high hedge, we would be grateful for any views you have on problems caused by high hedges in Northern Ireland, or on any other matter you feel may be relevant to this investigation.

Enter text in the grey box

SECTION 6: Your Details

It is not absolutely necessary to provide us with all your personal details. However, to enable us to assess the geographical spread of nuisance high hedges it is essential that you provide us with details of your postcode and Council Area.

Enter text in the grey box

Name
Address
City/Town
County
Postcode*
Council Area*
Email Address

* denotes a required field

Are you content to receive any further correspondence on nuisance high hedges via email, at the address provided above?

Yes

No

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