Fred the Shred told to cut down hedge

Ex-banker Fred Goodwin has been ordered to cut his 20ft hedge down following a four-year dispute with neighbours.

The former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) angered surrounding residents at his home in Colinton, Edinburgh with his massive hedge which hid the £3.5 million property from surrounding homes.

However, residents availed themselves of the scourge of the leylandii – the High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013.

They claimed the hedge blocked light and stopped their own plants from growing. The act allows councils to compel owners to cut their hedges which are over 6ft 6 inches tall if they block light.

If owners do not arrange for the hedges to be reduced themselves, councils can have the work carried out themselves.

Edinburgh City Council handed Mr Goodwin an enforcement notice ordering the reduction of the hedges but the neighbours requested a ruling from the Scottish government’s planning directorate on exactly which ones should be chopped.

David Liddell, planning reporter, stated in a written ruling that the hedges on the western side of the property should be trimmed.

He said: “I can appreciate why the appellants consider the western hedge is too high.

“Their rear gardens are relatively shallow, made smaller by conservatories or extensions.

“This makes them particularly sensitive to any tall boundary fences or hedges.

“In my view, the hedge, noting the narrow depths of the rear gardens, has a dominant and somewhat oppressive effect when experienced from these gardens.

“However, I consider the hedge, at its current height, adversely affects the enjoyment of numbers 5-13 which the occupants could reasonably expect to have.”

The notice requires the hedge to be cut down to a maximum height of 14ft.

But Mr Liddell refused the neighbours’ appeal to have a further three slashed, saying they were not “high hedges”.

The neighbours said in a joint statement to the Scottish government: “We would wish to stress the appearance of this hedge is both dominant and oppressive.

“These two rows are high and block light, and their combined growth, thickness of trunks and compact branches provide a density that in most areas allows no light at all to pass through.”

“Real feelings of dominance and oppression built up over the years due to lack of proper tree management.

“The gardens may not be large but they have always been the same size. The issue is as the trees and hedge have grown they have overpowered the gardens.”

Mr Goodwin resigned in 2008 before RBS revealed losses of £24.1 billion – the greatest annual loss in British corporate history.