Council has adopted a scenic landscape review prepared by DEM consulting, which maps rural view and vistas worthy of protection and will submit a planning proposal to the Department of Planning to proceed with a draft Local Environmental Plan (LEP) to regular hedge planting along roads rated as high or very high significance.

In a report to Wednesday’s Council meeting, director of environment and planning Scott Lee said Council staff received a new enquiry about high hedges almost every week.

“The public are being advised that Council has acknowledged the issue as a serious one, has not been able to secure the support of the Department of Planning to control inappropriate plantings but are in the process of developing a policy in this regard,” he said.

Cr Larry Whipper said he was glad that Council was continuing the fight to control the spread of high hedges.

Cr Whipper said those who planted high hedge species in the shire were “stealing the views of the future generations”.

“They have already lost the battle in Wollondilly,” he said. “This is becoming an absolute nightmare.”

“We wouldn’t give approval for a fence of this nature blocking out the views along the roadside, so why does this differ?”

Cr Gair said as a result of the Department of Planning’s refusal to recognise the problem, Wingecarribee had had three years of growth of high hedges planted in the term of the previous Council, plus growth of the hedges planted since.

Under the proposed LEP, development consent would be required for vegetation screens with a maximum length of 50 metres that will grow to a mature height of more than two metres and will alter the views and vistas along routes identified by the Views and Vista Scenic Road Map.

Consent will be given only if the hedges provide sufficient scope for maintaining views and vistas, do not screen more than 50 per cent of the frontage of any property and do not conflict with historic cultural landscapes.