Hedgerows
Some hedges in the countryside are protected by the Hedgerow Regulations, which aim to conserve hedges considered important, for archaeological, historical, environmental or landscape interest. The 1997 Hedgerow Regulations apply to any hedgerow which:
grows in, or adjacent to any common land, Local Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest, or land used for agriculture, forestry of the breeding or keeping of horses, ponies or donkeys; and has a continuous length of at least 20 metres, or if less than 20 metres, meets another hedgerow at each end.
Natural England also offers a summary of the restrictions (Government website).
It is a criminal offence to remove hedgerows without the relevant consent. If you are considering removing a hedgerow, you must notify us via the relevant application form planning procedure, showing location plans of the hedges and give reasons for removing the hedge along with providing a biodiversity survey and report.
High hedges
You can find out about High Hedges here.