JK Rowling’s ‘bush-trimming’ blamed for traffic ‘chaos’

It has been claimed that the roadworks, which according to Edinburgh city council will be in place until Friday, have caused chaos, with major tailbacks building up on surrounding roads.

IT’S not Harry Potter’s Privet Drive – the towering 30ft hedges are too impressive for that.

“The hedges are obviously to stop people looking into her property”, one neighbour said.

Tabloid media revealed that the road outside the 49-year-old author’s house was cut down to one lane as temporary traffic lights were being set up to enable gardeners in cutting the 30 feet bushes, reported the Mirror. “There are long queues tailing back”.

Leylandii, or Leyland Cypress bushes, are often used by people hoping to screen their home to offer more privacy.

This is not the first time Ms Rowling (49) has courted controversy with her neighbours.

A team of gardeners have been tending to the Lleylandii bushes outside the author’s Edinburgh house since Monday, and have installed a four-way traffic light system due to the large number of vehicles involved in the routine maintenance.

The following year she won planning permission to build two luxurious €290,000 Hogwarts-style tree houses in her garden, despite protests from local residents.

In 2012, she reportedly purchased a £1million neighbouring home so that she could extend her garden.

The author bought her 17th century mansion for just over €2.3 million five and a half years ago.