Woman told to remove garden plants
‘Appreciate effort made but they are communal areas’
A LOUGHBOROUGH woman, in her seventies, has been told to remove plants and decorative stones from the front of her bungalow by Charnwood Borough Council.
Maggie Green of Burns Road, who laid out the area in front of her home with plants and pebbles has been sent a letter by the council requesting she remove them as it is a “communal area”.
Mrs Green’s son-in-law John Alcock contacted the Echo saying that she carried out the garden work herself and that the situation was ridiculous: “She was almost in tears.”
Mrs Green has also been asked to remove some fencing to the rear of her property as that also is a communal area and Mr Allcock told the Echo that the fencing was wire mesh she had put out to deter dogs roaming in other people’s gardens, but she would be removing that.
He also said that she had removing a section of small picket fencing from the area outside her house.
The letter from the borough’s tenancy services states: “Further to our conversation. I write to confirm that fencing stones and plants need to be removed from the grassed area at the front of your property.
“As discussed this is a communal area and must be restored.
“I have enquired regarding the rear grassed area and this is also a communal area and although you have had the area fenced off for some time, the area must be opened up for communal use as it does not belong to the tenancy.”
Mrs Green has 28 days to comply with the order.
The letter ends with an acknowledgement of Mrs Green’s work saying: “I appreciate a lot of effort will have gone into the maintenance of these areas but the council are working towards getting all communal areas free from fencing and plantation, as the areas are for all the community to enjoy.”