Amendments proposed to the High Hedges (N�. 2I Bill - continued	House of Commons
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Mr Edward Leigh

38

Page     2,     line     15     [Clause     2],     leave out 'evergreens' and insert 'Cupressocyparis leylandii thuja plicata, and Chamaecyparis lawsoniana'.

   

Mr Alan Duncan
Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

34

Page     2,     line     15     [Clause     2],     leave out 'evergreens' and insert 'conifers'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

93

*Page     2,     line     15     [Clause     2],     leave out 'evergreens' and insert 'evergreen conifers'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

79

*Page     2,     line     17     [Clause     2],     after 'level', insert 'when measured from the neighbouring land'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore

5

Page     2,     line     17     [Clause     2],     at end insert 'when measured from the property allegedly adversely affected.'.

   

Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

54

*Page     2,     line     18     [Clause     2],     leave out 'line' and insert 'row'.

   

Mr Edward Leigh

39

Page     2,     line     18     [Clause     2],     leave out 'evergreens' and insert 'Cupressocyparis leylandii thuja plicata, and Chamaecyparis lawsoniana'.

   

Mr Alan Duncan
Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

35

Page     2,     line     18     [Clause     2],     leave out 'evergreens' and insert 'conifers'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

94

*Page     2,     line     18     [Clause     2],     leave out 'evergreens' and insert 'evergreen conifers'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope

47

Page     2,     line     19     [Clause     2],     leave out 'or access'.

   

Mr Edward Leigh
Mr Christopher Chope
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

42

Page     2,     line     20     [Clause     2],     leave out 'two' and insert 'four'.

   

Mr Alan Duncan
Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

36

Page     2,     line     22     [Clause     2],     leave out subsection (3).

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

95

*Page     2,     line     22     [Clause     2],     leave out subsection (3) and insert 'In this section evergreen conifer means any evergreen tree that bears or is capable of bearing cones'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore

6

Page     2,     line     22     [Clause     2],     leave out from second 'evergreen' to end of line 23 and insert 'semi-evergreen or deciduous tree or shrub.'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

80

*Page     2,     line     22     [Clause     2],     leave out 'or a semi-evergreen tree or shrub'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore

7

Page     2,     line     27     [Clause     3],     after 'yard', insert 'patio'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore

8

Page     2,     line     27     [Clause     3],     leave out 'wholly or mainly'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore

9

Page     2,     line     30     [Clause     3],     at end insert 'which may include a dwelling in multi-occupation.'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope

48

Page     2,     line     31     [Clause     3],     leave out subsection 31.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

83

*Page     2,     line     38     [Clause     4],     leave out '(if any)'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

90

*Page     2,     line     38     [Clause     4],     at end insert—

    '(1A)   The authority shall dismiss a complaint if the height of the hedge in metres is less than

D

2 + 2,

       where D is the distance in metres between the hedge and the nearest outside window wall of the complainant's property'.

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Mr Andrew Dismore
Mr Christopher Chope

10

Page     3,     line     2     [Clause     4],     leave out 'may' and insert 'shall'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore
Mr Christopher Chope

12

Page     3,     line     2     [Clause     4],     at end insert—

'( )

for the purposes of this section, reasonable steps shall include at least one meeting with the owner or occupier of the adjoining land on which the hedge is situated, unless that person has refused to meet or the complainant has reasonable grounds to fear for his personal safety if such a meeting was to be held.'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

81

*Page     3,     line     2     [Clause     4],     at end insert—

    '( )   For the purposes of this section reasonable steps shall include at least one meeting with the owner or occupier of the neighbouring land and an offer to share any costs of reducing the height of the hedges'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope

52

Page     3,     line     3     [Clause     4],     leave out subsection (3) and insert—

    '(3)   If the authority do not so decide, they must decide—

(a)	whether the complainant's reasonable enjoyment of the domestic property specified in the complaint is being affected by an unreasonable obstruction of light caused by a high hedge so specified; and

(b)	if so, what action (if any) should be required to be taken in relation to that hedge, in pursuance of a remedial notice under section 5, with a view to remedying any such obstruction or preventing its recurrence.'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

84

*Page     3,     line     4     [Clause     4],     after 'whether', insert 'the obstruction of light caused by'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore

11

Page     3,     line     7     [Clause     4],     leave out '(if any)'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore
Mr Christopher Chope

13

Page     3,     line     9     [Clause     4],     at end insert—

    '( )   for the purposes of this section, in deciding whether a hedge is having an adverse effect, the authority shall have regard to—

(a)	the height of the hedge when viewed from the complainant's property;

(b)	the distance the hedge is situated from domestic buildings on the complainant's property;

(c)	the length of time the hedge has been growing;

(d)	whether the complainant was first in occupation before or after the planting of the hedge;

(e)	whether the area is urban, suburban or rural;

(f)	the likely cost of remedial action;

(g)	the means of the owner or occupier of the neighbouring land;

(h)	for how long the owner or occupier of the neighbouring land has been owner or occupier.'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope

37

Page     3,     line     9     [Clause     4],     at end insert—

    '( )   The authority must, when acting under subsection (3), take into consideration all matters appearing to them to be relevant, including in particular (so far as appearing to be relevant)—

(a)	the extent to which the high hedge in question is capable of affording (or, if reduced in height, would still be capable of affording) privacy to an occupier of the neighbouring land,

(b)	the extent to which that hedge contributes (or, if reduced in height, would still contribute) to the amenity of the neighbourhood, and

(c)	any legal obligation (whether imposed by or under any enactment or otherwise) relating to that hedge.'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

96

*Page     3,     line     9     [Clause     4],     at end insert—

    '( )   The authority must when acting under subsection (3) take into consideration all matters appearing to them to be relevant, including in particular any guidance issued by the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

82

*Page     3,     line     35     [Clause     4],     leave out subsection (7) and insert 'A fee determined under subsection (1)(b) shall cover the reasonably foreseeable costs to be incurred by the authority in considering the complaint'.

   

Mr Andrew Dismore

14

Page     3,     line     35     [Clause     4],     at end insert 'which fee shall not exceed the reasonable costs received by the local authority in considering, disposing of, and policing the outcome of the complaint.'.

   

Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

97

*Page     3,     line     36     [Clause     4],     leave out from '1(b)' to end of line 38 and insert 'shall be refunded to such extent as it exceeds the reasonable costs incurred by the authority in considering the complaint'.

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Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Edward Leigh
Mr John Gummer
Mr Greg Knight
Sir Paul Beresford

85

*Page     4,     line     4     [Clause     5],     after the second 'that', insert 'the obstruction of light caused by'.

Prepared 18 Jun 2003