My Hedge, my choice?

TELLIT01

In the circumstances I would put the new fence just inside the boundary.  Yes you loose a few inches of garden and there may be questions over the actual boundary line later, but it's the "now" that matters.  It's highly unlikely that a TPO would be applied to leylandii, but this is the perfect time of year to cut them down anyway as there won't be any nesting birds.  Leave it until Spring and your neighbour may report you for disturbing nesting birds so don't give them the chance.

If it's the property behind you I don't expect you see much of them anyway so friction will be minimal.

We actually had a snotty note put through our door years ago from the people behind us, telling - not asking us to cut back a tree which overhung their garden.  This was a situation where the actual boundary line did matter because the tree was actually in their garden.  Over the years previous occupants of their property had built a decorative concrete block wall about 2 feet inside their boundary, and later a 2 metre wooden fence constructed to hide the block wall.  The tree was growing between the block wall and the wire fence at the bottom of our garden.  The guy did squirm a bit when I went round to tell him.  They have since left and I happily keep the tree cut back.  It's elder and grows fast but I can get at it easily from my garden.

twopenny

I agree that you should go ahead, probably not telling them when to ensure its done.
Another(useless) option would be to cut it to the level of their fence and let them really whine.
But like a tooth extraction get it out fast and then they will be more likely to agree to the fence being higher.
You're a good neighbour and with 6 you can afford to loose one.

SameOldRoundabout

I would simply go ahead and remove it and put a fence up immediately inside the boundary line. They don’t have any right to tell you what to do with your hedge as it is inside your property. I can’t believe the cheek on some people. You’ve gone above and beyond already by asking people, I would simply start the job now. 

Bendy_House

DanG1300 said:

Ultimately its a small village and we plan to be here for a while so it does help to keep people happy, but yeah if they decide to be awkward then they can get lost and ill do what I want basically.

Of course you don't want to ruffle feathers if you can avoid it. The weird thing here is, you seem to have found the 'only person in the villll-age' who actually wants Leylandii. Most folk are, rightly, horrified by them.

Get sorted in your head what options you may be prepared to go for - eg a fence with trellis above as a quick solution that would allow you to then grow your trees over time? And then keep the discussions as much as you can in the form of simple questions; "You do agree that these trees belong to me?" "And you can see that they take up a lot of my garden?" "And you understand that they are expensive to keep in control?" That sort of stuff - all delivered in a smiling, pleasant manner. But any prevarication from them, just go back to it until they finally nod to the affirmative.

Then you can - if you want - either offer them a carrot, or just explain your plan again, and how it'll end up looking a lot better than what is currently there.

TELLIT01

I really would not have any further discussion with the neighbour as it is clearly pointless.  They want what they want and that isn't going to change.

Bendy_House

Ah. But Dan is a nice fellow.

WeAreGhosts

I wish I had you for a neighbour. 

Just do it. I'd take photographs first, though, in case something happens in the future and they start lying as to who owned what.

I dithered for ages about putting a fence up next to my crazy neighbour. There wasn't any point to dithering. I was much happier when it was sorted.