NEIGHBOURS who want councils to tackle complaints about high hedges under new laws should be charged a fee of £300, a North Yorkshire planning chief has recommended.

New legislation on dealing with hedge disputes comes into force on June 1 as part of the Government's Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

Anyone suffering nuisance because of a hedge will be able to take their complaint to the borough council, provided that:

*The hedge is wholly or mainly in a line of two or more evergreen or semi-evergreen trees or shrubs;

* The hedge is more than two metres high and impacts on light or access;

* Complainants have tried and exhausted all other avenues for resolving the dispute.

Harrogate Borough Council's planning chief, Tim Richards, said a £300 complainant's fee should be introduced to reduce pressure on the council's budget.

In a report on the issue, he said that in each case the council would decide whether the height of a hedge was having an adverse effect on neighbours. If it was, the council would consider what action - if any - should be taken.

Under the new legislation hedgeowners and complainants have a right of appeal to the planning Secretary of State John Prescott against the authority's decision.

Failure to comply with a final ruling could mean the offender paying a fine of up to £1,000.