New clause 1 - Planning permission for high hedges
Planning and Compulsory Purchase (Re-committed) Bill
11:00 am
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold, Conservative)
I am grateful for that intervention. I shall come to the issue of light being blocked in a moment. The hon. Gentleman said that the hedge was a mixture of species; the most common species in most hedges is thorn, which is not evergreen. Bearing in mind the enormity of the problem, I would want the three species in question to be dealt with first; it may then be possible, by order, to extend the proposal to other species.
I tend to follow the line taken by some of my hon. Friends that the measure should not be all-encompassing. I ask my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight what would happen when a hedge that had been planted properly and had not caused a nuisance was deemed to be a barrier to light in a development built after it was planted. Would retrospective legislation be required? I had such a case in Northleach in my constituency: someone innocently planted a hedge next to an agricultural field. It was not a problem to anyone at the time, but new houses were built and a constituent has written to me saying that the hedge now is a problem. That possibility should be addressed; perhaps an amendment with a retrospective element is needed.