Trees over grown onto footpath

Updates

• Thank you for contacting us. This note is to confirm that we have received your report and we'll be in touch with an update as soon as possible.

  Posted by Shropshire Council at 15:21, Tuesday 9 June 2026

• The vast majority of hedges are privately owned and maintained. Privately maintained hedges are assessed based upon an inspection.

  If the hedge is deemed to be above an actionable level, we will try to establish who the land owner is to ask them to undertake the work themselves. We give a reasonable time frame to comply with our request. If necessary, we can serve a notice upon the land/ property owner requiring them to cut the hedge back for encroachment and/ or safety.

  Hedge maintenance should be undertaken outside the bird nesting season which runs from 1st March to 30th September. However, Notices issued to rectify safety issues override the bird nesting season.

  This process can take a number of weeks due to the land registry requirements and associated timescales of serving notice under the Highways Act so the hedge may remain overgrown for some time.

  To read more about how we are managing highway maintenance, please see our website at: https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/ drainage-and-flooding/ be-prepared-for-flooding/ guidance-on-highway-ditches-hedges-and-trees/

  Posted by Shropshire Council at 15:21, Tuesday 9 June 2026

• The situation has been assessed based on several factors. No further action is considered necessary at present. For example, this may be because the hedge is not encroaching the highway above an actionable level or the hedge is not a safety issue and it is within bird nesting season.

  To read more about how we are managing highway maintenance, please see our website at: https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/ drainage-and-flooding/ be-prepared-for-flooding/ guidance-on-highway-ditches-hedges-and-trees/

  State changed to: No further action

  Posted by Shropshire Council at 15:56, Tuesday 9 June 2026