UK Statutory Instrument SI 1997 United Kingdom

Hedgerows Regulations 1997

These Regulations make provision for the protection of important hedgerows in England and Wales. To facilitate the protection of those hedgerows, the Regulations apply to a wider class of hedgerows, described in regulation 3 (in particular to hedgerows which are 20 metres or more long or which meet another hedgerow …

Read it on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
Natural England
Status
Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling
Prosecution 1 of 3 obligations carry a fine up to £1,000. 1 carries different penalties and 1 has no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person2

Plus 1 duty on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts

What it requires

Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.007 Offences (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Remove a hedgerow or breach permitted‑work rulesAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.010 Records (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must maintain a public record of hedgerow noticesLocal authority
s.014 Rights of entry: supplementary provisions (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Obstruct authorised entry to hedgerowsAny Person

Fine up to £1,000

13 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.001 Citation and commencement (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Interpretation
s.003 Application of Regulations
s.004 Criteria for determining “important” hedgerows (opens in a new tab)
s.005 Removal of hedgerows (opens in a new tab)
s.006 Permitted work (opens in a new tab)
s.008 Replacement of hedgerows (opens in a new tab)
s.009 Appeals (opens in a new tab)
s.011 Injunctions (opens in a new tab)
s.012 Rights to enter without a warrant (opens in a new tab)
s.013 Right to enter under warrant (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Local planning authorities as owners of hedgerows (opens in a new tab)
s.016 Application of other provisions of the 1990 Act (opens in a new tab)
Schedules

Schedules

0 of 10 shown
10 other schedules
s.002 WOODLAND SPECIES (opens in a new tab)
s.003 WOODY SPECIES (opens in a new tab)
s.sch001 Archaeology and history
s.sch001 The hedgerow incorporates an archaeological feature which is—
s.sch001 The hedgerow— (a) is situated wholly or partly within an...
s.sch001 The hedgerow— (a) marks the boundary of a pre-1600 AD...
s.sch001 The hedgerow— (a) is recorded in a document held at...
s.sch001 Wildlife and landscape
s.sch001 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the hedgerow includes—
s.sch001 The hedgerow— (a) is adjacent to a bridleway or footpath,...

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

Do I need permission to fell trees or remove hedgerows?

Quick check covering felling licences, TPOs, conservation areas, and hedgerow regulations. Determine what permissions you need before carrying out tree or hedgerow …

Remove or manage hedgerows lawfully

How to remove a hedgerow lawfully under the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 and manage agricultural hedgerows under the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations …

Trees and hedgerows: quick reference for businesses

Quick reference covering felling licence thresholds, Tree Preservation Order penalties, hedgerow notification periods, conservation area rules, restocking obligations, and key contact points …

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.