Castle in the sky

A dad has been forced to stop work on a mega fort which has been constructed in his back garden.

The astonishing structure dwarfs everything else in the area.

And as one neighbour said: “This has gone way over being acceptable. We feel under seige.

“Most of us have kids and are not against children having fun. But it’s like living next door to Culzean Castle.”

Resident Graeme Reid has now had to down tools after being told a structure of this size will need planning permission.

He began work in his back garden in Annick Place, Troon back in July.

The structure is nearly ten and a half feet high, by 16ft 9 ins wide and seven foot deep.

It rises above fencing and foliage and has an upstairs complete with ramparts.

A planning application has now been lodged with South Ayrshire Council.

Mr Reid made the application for the “erection of timber play- fort in back garden.”

And he added: “This will be used by the homeowner’s children and friends of his children for play purposes only.”

The application stages the work was started but not completed.

He said he “did not realise planning permission was required” and added: “I was not aware that the result of adding a playfort to the rear garden would be to exceed 50% of the area of ground developed within the rear curtilage and therefore planning permission would be required.”

A decision will be reached later in the year.