Will hedge grow back?

We have a very large and well-established hedge. I think it's a cypress of some sort. A section of it recently got damaged and I wanted to know if it will grow back. Can anyone offer any advice? Photos attached. Many thanks.

 

Short answer, I'd say no

 

OK thank you.

 

The slightly longer answer is no but it may grow up to and across the cut area from adjacent uncut branches.
In my view, the hedge has been allowed unregulated growth in previous years and is now effectively dying from the centre. The only way to bring it back in control would be to clip it at 6 week intervals, to create a flat maintainable surface, both sides and top, removing the slightest amount on each occasion. Personally I would be looking to replace/replant with something else.

 

It looks like one of the conifers that doesn't come back from dead wood [most of them fall into that category] so they have to be trimmed carefully every year, only removing the new growth.
Unfortunately, it's never easy to get a good result once they're like that.
Removal and replacement, as suggested, is the best solution, but if that's not viable, the only other approach is to plant something to grow through it and cover it, and ivy's the best plant for that. The disadvantage of ivy is that it spreads across nearby ground as well, which may be a problem on the other side if there's a planted border.
You can try training some branches across the gaps and tying them in, but that's a lot of work, and a fair bit of waiting, on a long run of hedging.

 

Thank you for the replies. The hedge was planted long before we moved into the property so wouldn't have been our choice although it does offer privacy and also prevents lights shining directly into our front window as we live on a busy junction. If we were to replace it, what would be your suggestions? We'd want it to still give us privacy and prevent headlights shining in but we'd also want it to be fast-growing. Many thanks.

 

If you can afford to spend more, I'd suggest planting out something big and mature slow-growing compared to fast-growing plants.
Cherry laurels are fast growing. When me moved in we inherited large trees in the back of the garden, reduced them to just bare 2 m high trunks. Shaping the growth every year, and after a few years they send out so strong and long branches, I get gardener now every year to reduce those. Can't manage by myself anymore.
I saw and read ilex crenata is good for hedges. Box is a no go now because of box moth and deceases.
Maybe native hedge mixture?
Anyway if conifers removed, stumps and roots to go too (stump grinder), and soil will need proper improvement.

 

An idea of your location and soil type will help with alternative hedging recommendations @Murphy99. It's going to be a big and probably expensive job to remove your existing hedging though and you'll be without similar dense screening for a good time. As the damage is recent, I would just wait and see if there is any improvement and if not, try introducing a climber like a large leaved ivy to mask the gap, but it will need regular maintenance.

 

People are sometimes a bit snobby about privet, but it makes a good un-fussy hedge, fairly fast growing and can be cut back as hard as you like if it gets away from you.

 

Ilex crenata does grow incredibly slowly. Think cms per yr.

If you are willing to clip a couple of times a yr, Lonicera Baggesen's Gold would work. It grows fairly quickly and would be 6' tall in maybe 3-4 yrs if you started with decent sized plants.

 

Our neighbours had a cherry laurel hedge removed 2 years ago to have driveway work carried out. When the work was finished they replanted with new cherry laurel, I would say 2.5 to 3 feet high. 2 years on the hedge is back to 5 feet (probably more), thick and healthy.
The secret was in the preparation, they dug over the area and added soil improver and compost and have kept it well watered.
As mentioned above, the conifers will have taken any goodness in the soil over the years. Thorough removal and good preparation for any new hedge is the key .

 

I'm with @JennyJB privet is great and actually looks so much better than the nasty laurels that every developer seems to plant everywhere.

 

I'm a fan of yew hedging, not as fast as some but not as slow as often suggested.

Just think, fast growing more clipping.

If you can afford to start with some decent sized plants I think it would fit the bill.

 

I have a yew which has self-planted in my back garden, luckily in a not too awkward position. My sister looked at it and said "That's going to grow huge". Yes, I replied, but not in my lifetime! It is maybe a foot tall after about 6 yrs. Of course, if you start with bigger specimens, you would get a hedge in under a century. (I jest! )

 

Location and climate/soil etc are needed @Murphy99 , as already said. That will help with suggestions because your climate, in particular, will make a difference with the speed of growth.
If you're at any altitude, and in a more exposed site, that's very different from a sheltered town garden too.