A family in Wiltshire has won its battle to keep a roadside safety mirror but says it must now remove an entire hedge following demands from the council.
Jo and Greg Shailes, of Bradley Road, Southwick, have booked contractors to remove the hedge this week after being told it remains subject to an enforcement notice, even though Wiltshire Council confirmed it will take no further action over the mirror.
The couple installed a convex mirror outside their property to improve visibility when pulling out and became embroiled in a lengthy disagreement with Wiltshire Council over its legality and safety.
Following a further site inspection on September 29, the council confirmed that the mirror had been repositioned and no longer overhangs the highway.
In correspondence seen by the Wiltshire Times , the council said it was satisfied the owners had complied with the requirements of a Section 143 notice and confirmed it would take no further action in relation to the mirror.
However, the council said a separate Section 154 notice relating to the hedge remains in force.
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It said the latest inspection found hedge-cutting work had been undertaken but that the requirements of the notice had not yet been fully met.
The council added that the hedge requires "a further lateral reduction of one metre in order to achieve the clearance of the highway verge".
The authority said it hoped the family would comply with the notice, adding that cutting back the hedge would remove an obstruction and improve visibility when leaving the property.
If the work is not carried out, the council warned it could undertake the work itself and dispose of any vegetation removed.
Mrs Shailes said the requirement means the hedge must be removed entirely.
She said: "Sadly the council have not seen common sense, and we have had to book the hedge to be taken down.
"However, they are allowing the mirror to stay in place after it has been realigned.
"The hedge is about a foot away from the verge of the footpath, so I am a bit confused as to why they need it to go back a further one metre.
"This extra one metre means the whole hedge has to be removed."
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The family have repeatedly argued that the dispute should focus on wider road safety concerns, including visibility, vehicle speeds and the condition of the nearby footpath.
Wiltshire Council has previously said the hedge had grown over the public highway by around 1.5 metres and suggested that reducing its width and height would significantly improve visibility for drivers leaving the property.
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