Untidy garden row leads to court case (From News Shopper)

Untidy garden row in Sidcup leads to court case

11:14am Wednesday 4th July 2012 in News By Jim Palmer

A SIDCUP couple have taken Bexley Council to court after they were ordered to tidy up their garden.

Rita and Pieter Grootendorst, of Old Farm Avenue, Sidcup, are appealing against an order made by the council in April instructing them to tidy their garden because it "adversely affects the amenity of the area".

The order, made under section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act, requires the couple to remove waste from their sideways and bring the structures in their back garden down to two metres within six months.

Mrs Grootendorst, 63, told News Shopper the sheds had been there for more than 15 years.

She said: "My garden is a very special oasis.

"It is a reflection of mine and Pieter’s personalities. It is a shelter and a natural habitat.

"Does my garden have to fit my taste, or your taste?"

The Grootendorsts’ two-day appeal against Bexley Council will be heard at Bromley Magistrates’ Court, starting on October 22.

A Bexley Council spokesman said: "The council had been attempting to secure an improvement in the untidy conditions at Mr and Mrs Grootendoorst's property in response to complaints we received.

"We have spent considerable time and effort trying to reach an informal resolution of the issue and have gone beyond what we are required to do in offering advice and support.

"We have also given Mr and Mrs Grootendorst every opportunity to resolve matters. "Unfortunately, the necessary improvements have not been made and in our opinion the rear garden and sideway are still having a negative impact on the visual amenity of the neighbourhood."