Felling or lopping of trees and removal of hedgerows
35.—(1) Subject to article 36 (trees subject to tree preservation orders), the undertaker may fell or lop or cut back any roots of any tree or shrub near any part of the authorised project, if it reasonably believes it to be necessary to do so to prevent the tree or shrub from obstructing or interfering with the construction, maintenance or operation of the authorised project or any apparatus used in connection with the authorised project.
(2) In carrying out any activity authorised by paragraph (1), the undertaker must do no unnecessary damage to any tree or shrub and must pay compensation to any person for any loss or damage arising from such activity.
(3) Any dispute as to a person’s entitlement to compensation under paragraph (2), or as to the amount of compensation, must be determined under Part 1 (determination of questions of disputed compensation) of the 1961 Act.
(4) The undertaker may, for the purposes of the authorised project—
(a)remove any hedgerows within the Order limits and specified in Schedule 13, Part 3 (removal of hedgerows) and those hedgerows that, after assessment, are not classed as important hedgerows specified in Schedule 13, Part 1 (removal of potentially important hedgerows); and
(b)remove the important hedgerows as are within the Order limits and specified in Schedule 13, Part 1 (removal of potentially important hedgerows) and Part 2 (removal of important hedgerows).
(5) In this article “hedgerow” and “important hedgerow” have the same meaning as in the Hedgerows Regulations 1997(1).