Will cutting through hedge roots kill it?

I'm planning on doing some landscaping but it will involve getting a machine to dig foundations for a small wall down one side of a hedge. The scoop out will be around 8 inches from the line of where the base of the hedge grows above the ground. Will the hedge survive? Will the wall survive if and when the hedge starts growing again?

 

Hi,

Hedges are generally very hardy and think cutting some of the roots will not set them back too much, possibly give the top of the hedge a trim to compensate.

What we have found when concreting fencing posts, that the heat and/or lime etc from the concrete will kill or retard growth, usually seen as the foliage going brown in patches.

After digging your trench, try lining it along the roots with some thick polythene to protect them.
Also try loads of watering to wash away any lime etc.

 

I've moved field hedges with diggers in winter and they will look naff next year but will come back (unless you do lots of root damage) also if cutting blocks/concrete etc watch out for the lime dust on the leaves

 

Hi goofy
Not sure what type of hedge you have, but from experience with privet & hawthorn I can tell you both will take very rough treatment, I've seen both chain sawed to ground level, left, only to regrow, I have a neighbours hawthorn hedge about 2 foot away from my wooden fence and it doesn't do much damage to it at all.