Be a good neighbour – cut and clear

With the hedge trimming 'season' in full swing, we're often asked whether there's a period of grace in which to clear up the cuttings. Strictly, there's none.

As the The Cutting of Hedges Ordinances, 1953 (as amended) & 1989 puts it, the debris must be removed 'immediately thereafter' or, in other words, as soon as you have finished cutting.

Recognising, however, that some hedges and banks are bigger than others – like the one pictured above – the Douzaine acknowledges that sometimes clearing needs to continue into the following day. Best advice remains to get it all done on the same day where possible.

One reason householders ask about a grace period is because tractor-cut hedges, where a flail is used, tend to leave debris in the road, giving rise to the suggestion that it can be cleared later.

What we're increasingly finding is that property owners employ contractors, who mechanically trim the hedge or bank, and then leave. Nevertheless, the responsibility remains with the property owner 'immediately' to remove the cuttings, whether they do so themselves or ask the contractor to do it for them.

Not doing so causes two problems. The first is that heavy rain can wash the debris thrown by flailing into the hedge back into the road. The second is that the rain then washes those cuttings into the gutters and drains and causes flooding.

In short, cutting and clearing is just another way of being a good neighbour.