Frequently Asked Question

Generally speaking, and in particular for boundary and established hedges, our management policy is that they are allowed to become as thick and wide as possible because this provides permanent and covered green corridors across the sites, allowing wildlife to travel safely without having to cross roads or similar areas that may leave them exposed to harm. This is also the reason why we discourage cutting grass too close to the biodiversity-rich hedgerows because, not only does it support this site connectivity, but it also keeps the areas cool, which is beneficial to the wildlife in warmer months and also reduces the likelihood of the ground where the hedges are rooted from drying out, giving them a better chance of survival in a drought.

Where there is a boundary hedge on our site, Betts will manage the inside and top of the hedge, and the outside will be the responsibility of the adjacent landowner, whether that is a Local Authority, The Highways Department, a Resident, or any other third party. This is common practice in land ownership. If you are unsure whether we own a hedge, please get in touch to discuss it, as it can be hard to tell. It may be useful to know that, where there are lights or street furniture (for example, a road sign) in a hedge, that would be the responsibility of the person who owns those features, often Highways using those examples, as they do not install their equipment on land belonging to other people. In the case of street lighting in particular, there will be electric cabling present, and Betts would not usually operate in such areas as a result.

Some of the more ornamental hedges planted on our sites by the developer, for example laurel hedges, may be subject to a different management regime as they are of little wildlife value as a species. In all cases, however, we work around bird nesting season and, on the rare occasions we do any hedge works during the breeding season (generally March to August in the UK), our operatives are trained to conduct a pre-works inspection for nests, and work around these to assure no disturbance or harm comes to any found.

Some of our sites have hedges along the frontage, leading straight onto a main road, or at either side of a junction, and there may be a planning requirement in place on such sites to maintain a visibility splay (usually to keep the hedge cut to a set height all year), which we will always do our best to follow, where we own or are responsible for maintenance of that area.

You can see more information on hedges on our main website (visit www.bettsestates.com and click on the “Policies” link at the bottom of the page).