Couple Fined £1,250 After Neighbours Complained About Overgrown Garden
Many of us are guilty of letting our gardens become overgrown when life gets too busy to sort them out, but one couple must have really allowed their outdoor spaces to get out of control as they have been fined after neighbours complained to the local authority.
Telford & Wrekin Council received several notices that Glenville Charles Davies and Marion Kathleen Davies from Shawbirch had neglected their garden so badly that it was becoming an eyesore for the rest of the neighbourhood, Shropshire Star reported.
Therefore, the council’s planning team decided to take the case to the Shropshire Magistrates Court in Telford for breach of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, claiming the state of the garden was having a negative impact on the community.
Councillor Richard Overton, cabinet member for enforcement for the local authority, told the news provider it is common to receive complaints about unkempt gardens.
He stated: “The garden or land can become unsightly or attract other environmental crimes, such as fly-tipping, and impact on the appearance of a neighbourhood and cause a nuisance to other residents.”
Mr Overton went on to say prosecutions are only brought forward “in extreme cases including when there is a wilful resistance to enforcement orders”.
The couple had been handed an enforcement notice in 2015, but they failed to comply with it, resulting in the council clearing the garden itself. They were since given another order on March 20th 2018 to trim vegetation and clear their front and back gardens by June 20th.
However, they, again, did not act on the notice, leading to the prosecution and a combined fine of £1,250, plus council costs of £510 and victim surcharges of £125.
While cases like this are rare, it does go to show the importance of having a well-maintained garden, not just for you but for your neighbours as well.
Keeping up with mowing, cutting back trees and bushes, and clearing fallen leaves and debris can be difficult if you lead a busy life. Therefore, you might need the help of garden designers in Somerset who can transform your outdoor space without any hard work on your behalf.