| answer text |
<p>The Government does not have an up to date assessment of hedgerow removal but is
committed to protecting hedgerows, and other field boundaries, and the habitats they
provide.</p><p> </p><p>Hedgelink, a partnership supported by environmental, farming
and heritage organisations, has estimated that between 1984 and 1990 the length of
hedgerows in Great Britain had declined by about 23%. The Countryside Survey 2000
indicated that by 1998 this decline in the length of hedgerows had been halted.</p><p>
</p><p>Legal protection for hedgerows is provided by the Hedgerows Regulations 1997
which prohibit the removal of countryside hedgerows without first seeking approval
from the local planning authority. The authority is required to decide whether a hedgerow
is “important” according to the criteria in the Regulations and should not be removed.
Although there is local variation, research has indicated that, nationally, over 70%
of hedgerows in England and Wales are 'important'. The Regulations therefore play
a valuable role in providing statutory protection for a large proportion of hedgerows
in the countryside.</p><p> </p><p>When granting planning permission, a local authority
has the power to impose enforceable planning conditions on a developer in order to
protect hedges or trees assessed as being worthy of retention, which might otherwise
be harmed by construction or the new land-use.</p>
|
|
