Forum Topic

Trees

Not another post about that thing outside the Town Hall, this is about real trees.I was doing some gardening today and noticed that my neighbour has a row of very tall Conifer trees which I think will affect the light into my garden when/if the warmer weather arrives.I'm talking 20 feet plus here.I did a quick google to find out how tall these things grow and discovered a lot of people have had the exact same issue with neighbours and that a maximum height of 2m is permitted.  Is this correct?  Can my neighbour be forced to cut them down?Then I got to thinking that 2m isn't very tall for a tree, so who decides how tall a tree can get before it has to be lopped?Obviously I don't want to fall out with my neighbour about this, but am just wondering if anyone can give me the benefit of their experience here.

Christine Daniels ● 4493d11 Comments

Google "The Planning Portal"

Nigel Brooks ● 4447d

Do you have a link for that info Nigel?  I can't find it.

Christine Daniels ● 4447d

According to The Planning Portal it's wall or fence so 6' 6" of wall or fence with another 3' 3" of trellis on top.

Nigel Brooks ● 4448d

Thanks Anthony, so that's a 2m = 6 foot 6 inch fence?On top of that one meter of Trellis?What about a wall, how high can trellis be added to that?

Christine Daniels ● 4448d

You can have a hight fence but the obscure area is a max height of 2m.This doe not apply to fences or walls built at the time of dwelling construction or pre 1983.You can raise the height by 1m using trellis as integral to the upper fence.

Anthony Waller ● 4448d

IIRC correctly it is 2 metres without planning permission where the fence does not form a boundary with or is within 3 metres of the carriageway else it is 1 metre.With planning permission granted however it can be whatever height you choose.

Nigel Brooks ● 4450d

On a similar subject, is there a maximum height for fences in Ealing?  Have heard people mutter things about 6 foot or 2 metres which is six and a half foot.  Is there a maximum height of fence allowed and could someone be forced to take a 2 metre fence down?

Christine Daniels ● 4450d

As Nigel has advised, its best to have a friendly talk with your neighbour and mention his trees.Talking of tree growth being antisocial, I get fed-up with hedges that grow so much as to impinge and take up too much space over pavements.

Gerry Tan ● 4492d

I think the 2 meter rule only applies to a wooden fence

Jack Ryan ● 4493d

Thanks for the reply Nigel, did a bit more googling and yes there are many disputes caused by this matter.For me this isn't a dispute and was just a thought as to how high these things can actually grow.  How long do they live for?Looking over my wall at other trees, some are huge, how do these get worked on in a built up area?

Christine Daniels ● 4493d

Massive Leylandii are the source of many neighbourly disputes some costing tens of thousands in legal fees.Most of these disputes were caused it seems by the two parties simply failing to talk to each other.A suggestion, talk to your neighbour, share your concern over a cuppa and avoid problems in the future.For what it's worth there seems no 'maximum' height and you have no 'right of light' into a garden area, but you do have a right of 'reasonable enjoyment.If it gets to a dispute, the council can act but will not do so unless you can prove that you tried to resolve the problem amicably.So, as the old saying goes, it's good to talk.

Nigel Brooks ● 4493d