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Council Fines Couple For Laying Gravel


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HOLA441

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086400/Council-fines-couple-cleared-away-rubbish-weeds-outside-home-unless-restore-was.html

Personally, I can see why the council isn't happy, it's not the couple's land to lay gravel on, and soon everyone with a council house will be doing it.

They thought they were being good citizens. But when this couple cleared weeds and rubbish from outside their house, the council issued a stern warning – telling them to put it all back.

Samantha Hamilton and Colin Freeman spent months getting rid of dead plants, broken bottles and scrap metal from the verge next to their home in the village of Mytchett, Surrey, after moving in last April.

So they were baffled by a solicitor’s letter telling them to return it to its former state or face legal action.

Surrey County Council said part of the verge is owned by the highway authority, which means residents are barred from tending to it.

The couple, both civilian workers in the Ministry of Defence, have even been told to pay £78 for a ‘retrospective licence’ to carry out the work.

Miss Hamilton, 31, said: ‘When we moved in, it looked like a wasteland. It was so overgrown that one neighbour didn’t even realise there was a house there.

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HOLA442

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086400/Council-fines-couple-cleared-away-rubbish-weeds-outside-home-unless-restore-was.html

Personally, I can see why the council isn't happy, it's not the couple's land to lay gravel on, and soon everyone with a council house will be doing it.

They ought to have cleared it with the council first, clearly, but councils seem to have their own unique way of making a simple issue into something that makes the national news.

Net result is that the sensible people that do a bit of pruning etc on council land bordering their property will be less inclined to lend a hand and may kick up a fuss to get it done instead.

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HOLA443
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HOLA444

Net result is that the sensible people that do a bit of pruning etc on council land bordering their property will be less inclined to lend a hand and may kick up a fuss to get it done instead.

But it's not "a bit of pruning" is it ? They've pulled up the hedge and laid gravel. Not only that, to anyone looking, the newly gravelled bit now looks part of the property rather than council owned, it wouldn't surprise if they were going to claim ownership "because they've looked after it". It's a substantial area compared to their tiny front garden.

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HOLA445
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HOLA448

article-2086400-0F72F7A800000578-27_468x286.jpg

BEFORE

range.JPG

AFTER

The next step for a canny property developer (we're not home owners, we're all investors, developers, entrepreneurs these days), if nobody said anything, is to move the metal fence to the outer border. Then, put the house on sale for lots of money.

Pilfering land, does anyone remember the game called "The Settlers"?

Edited by MrTReturns
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HOLA449

Apart from looks - there is a more serious reason. If you plant a bush or hedges on 'public land' and you keep it for so many years without anyone noticing or complaining, after a period of time, that land can become yours if there is no other title.

Indeed, and there are quite a few people "at it" as a means to extend their garde by stealth.

The couple in this case might have been innocent, but I lived next door to a grasping, greedy bugger growing up who tried a similar trick to try and gain an extra 20m2 of land.

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HOLA4410

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086400/Council-fines-couple-cleared-away-rubbish-weeds-outside-home-unless-restore-was.html

Personally, I can see why the council isn't happy, it's not the couple's land to lay gravel on, and soon everyone with a council house will be doing it.

I don't see any mention that the couple laid any gravel

Still, spending 'hundreds of pounds' planting shrubs is a little bit more than tidying up a scrappy piece of ground. There is a whiff of disingenuity about this story which supports the suspicion of a closet land grab

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HOLA4411
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HOLA4412

Terribly, terribly wronged

I can't see the paragraph in the original article which says...

'Once we got that letter I realised that my neighbours and the council were worried about the perfectly understandable concern that we might be trying to thieve a chunk of public land on the sly. So, I got on the blower right away, contacted the council official responsible for upkeep of the land and tried to work something out'

If matey had done that and still got the shaft there might be a real story here

Disappointed that the article includes no valuation of the couple's house. Journalistic standards are indeed slipping

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HOLA4413

But it's not "a bit of pruning" is it ? They've pulled up the hedge and laid gravel. Not only that, to anyone looking, the newly gravelled bit now looks part of the property rather than council owned, it wouldn't surprise if they were going to claim ownership "because they've looked after it". It's a substantial area compared to their tiny front garden.

You are quite right, the couple have well overstepped the mark, and had they approached the council first it would have been obvious they were not allowed to make these sort of changes. I just lament the fact these things end up in the national press.

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HOLA4416

Good find !

I agree, so much nicer, more natural than it is now. Not least because it goes some way to hide the horrible newbuilds.

Yes, it is a good find. In fairness to the couple, the old foliage would have made for a tempting impromptu lavatory, especially as it was sitting next to a bus stop. Plus they might have had security concerns. If they cut it back a bit one night that would be understandable. Cutting everything down and replacing it with their own shrubs was taking the mick

Edited by Charlton Peston
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You are quite right, the couple have well overstepped the mark, and had they approached the council first it would have been obvious they were not allowed to make these sort of changes. I just lament the fact these things end up in the national press.

Amazing, it is clearly not their land, it is public space, and while some might think it messy others would appreciate it as a bit of 'green' and 'wild' in the urban landscape. Next up, cone off half the side road and put in picnic tables and a BBQ?

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HOLA4421

Funny story about how common sense and councils don't often come together in the same sentence......

Someone I know has a small old brick walled flower bed on the pavement outside their house, it had not been maintained or looked after for some time, they called the council to ask if they could weed it and plant few bulbs in the space to make it look nice.....well you can guess the answer they got, but did it anyway. ;)

Edited by winkie
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Before: http://g.co/maps/uk66q

A bit messy, but completely fits in with the surroundings. Now it's ugly.

Yes a good find, and yes it looked much better before.

Once you look into this story it becomes clear this is a blatant land grab attempt. And after they were thwarted the second best money earner was to sell the story to the Daily Mail! :lol:

It's actually quite a clever plot*.

*pardon the pun.

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HOLA4424

Yes a good find, and yes it looked much better before.

Once you look into this story it becomes clear this is a blatant land grab attempt. And after they were thwarted the second best money earner was to sell the story to the Daily Mail! :lol:

It's actually quite a clever plot*.

*pardon the pun.

I think you are right....is there not a law that says if maintained and fenced off the land could become theirs after so many years....sneaky. ;)

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HOLA4425

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