June 24, 2010
A Wiltshire family is set for lengthy legal battles with their local council after neighbours complained that a child’s fort overlooked their gardens.
Janet Barnes and David Godwin spent more than £1,000 building a 10 foot wooden playhouse for their two sons Christopher and Jonathan.
But the couple have been forced to submit a retrospective planning application to Wiltshire Council after neighbours complained that the children’s’ fort invaded their privacy as it is “far too tall and too close to the boundary fence”.
“We got it because we don’t have trees in the garden, so we can’t put up a treehouse,” Miss Barnes told the Daily Mail. “'We took pictures around to show our neighbours and they said it was fine, and then one side changed their mind.
“If we had realised it needed planning permission we wouldn’t have bought it.”
After Janet and David’s neighbour wrote to the local council, arguing that the “imposing structure” should be significantly reduced in height, a Wiltshire Council spokesman confirmed that the parents require planning permission.
A traditional tree house is normally considered a temporary structure for planning purposes. Therefore, in most cases, planning permission is not needed before building. But, those living in a conservation area, or close to a neighbour or a public highway, should check with their local council to be certain.
The process involves a fee of £150 and the preparation of plans and drawings that could add to the cost, plus a wait of several weeks to obtain approval, or not.
If your family is hoping to build a tree house or any other such structure for children, seek advice from conveyancing solicitors before hand and discover what permissions are needed before hammering that first nail.
