Privet - Laying new line- Rip out old big trunk or plant around?

Hello all,
Thanks in advance for any advice.
The builders cut down a line of privet to around 20cm from the ground to get a skip in. Painful to watch, but unavoidable. We're now at the point of making the line of the privet good (it has about a 4m gap in it as you can see from the photo). In the middle of the gap there's two very mature privet base/trunks, one has a diameter of about a foot! The bases have survived and are sprouting, but we're not keen on waiting years for privacy. We'd like to get a line of 'instant hedge' in.

Anyway, the question is: Do you leave the base in and let it grow back, so plant the new privet around it, or do you rip out the old privet base and start again? Intuitively I can see the benefits of both, but I'm hoping there's a clear answer someone knows.

Many thanks,

Oliver

 

I'd leave well alone, privet grows fast especially if you water and feed it well next spring and summer.
The established roots will probably out perform any thing you plant now, you would probably only gain the fact of the hole being filled in during the winter.
Personally I'd put a temporary fence panel in there until the old roots get going next spring.

 

If you do as @pete says , a bit of a clean up and mulch now, then plenty of water and feed from spring onwards , would expect the top growth to be several feet high by the end of the year.

The existing root system still thinks its as tall as it was and they soon grow back to the original size.

 

Hello all, it's been years and I'm sorry I never replied at the time. We were having the house done and it was hectic. I wanted to thank you for your advice, the privet shot back up

 

Nice of you to get back.

 

Good to hear.