AQW 5144/10

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 24/02/2010
Answered On Date: 02/03/2010
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment, in relation to the High Hedges consultation document (i) to outline what is meant by the term 'affected residential property' and if this includes (a) hindering access to a property; and (b) reducing natural light to a property; and (ii) if there will be a stipulated distance between an affected property and the offending hedge before the hedge meets the term 'restricting access to light'

Answer:

Under the draft High Hedges legislation, “affected residential property” means a dwelling or connected garden or yard.

The term “access” in the Bill refers to “access to light” as opposed to “physical access” to a property.

The legislation as currently drafted does not specify a stipulated distance between a hedge and an affected property. In each case it will be for the local council to decide as to whether or not a high hedge is affecting a domestic property detrimentally.