Overview
- Homeowner Daniel Laws in Bournemouth says a neighbour’s conifer hedge exceeds five metres and severely limits sunlight to his property after informal approaches failed.
- He was quoted £3,800 to lodge a statutory high‑hedges complaint and says the cost prevents him from proceeding.
- Typical charges by other English councils to handle similar complaints are reported to range from about £50 to £600.
- BCP Council states the fee covers officer time and includes a median allowance for specialist contractor work, with arboriculture assessments generally costing £2,000 to £3,000.
- The case has drawn media scrutiny, but no council investigation has started and there has been no change to the fee.