Residents' anger at 'horror' garden

Written by Edmund Tobin and published in Epping Forest Guardian on Wed 5th Mar 2008

RESIDENTS who looked on in horror as a property in their road became filled with caravans, disused cars and rubbish have said enough is enough.

Developer Michael Hill, owner of Loughton Construction, bought the property at 31 Amberley Road, in Buckhurst Hill, with the aim of renovating it with a roof extension.

But his planning application was turned down three times following objections by local residents and ever since more and more rubbish has been dumped in the garden.

The contents of what used to be a mature, tree-lined garden, now include two caravans, three abandoned cars, a kitchen sink, a pub menu board, shopping trolley and numerous items of rubbish.

Trees have been cut down, and signs put up advertising Jack Russell puppies for sale.

Residents in the road who the Guardian spoke to were unanimous in their condemnation but none were willing to give their names.

One said: "It's horrible. We just come out and there's rubbish everywhere. We're worried about rats. A man and a woman live there and about 20 other people come and go at different times of the day. Every day there's more rubbish hanging form the trees. It's horrible."

Another resident, who had been among the objectors to Mr Hill's extension, said: "They've just made it very unpleasant. They've moved a lot of people in. He Mr Hill suggested if we remove our objections it might change, but then said even if they get permission they might leave it as it is.

"It makes the area look very unattractive, and is pretty miserable to look at. It's a concern that should we want to move we'd have trouble selling."

Buckhurst Hill district councillor Ann Haigh [Liberal Democrat] has taken up the residents' cause.

She said: "I agree it's appalling and I will do everything I can to get the situation put right. We need action to get the greenery put back into the state it was before. It's detrimental to the street scene and the whole neighbourhood."

An Epping Forest District Council spokesman confirmed environmental health officers had visited the site several times.

He said: "So far a number of visits have confirmed that while there is a great deal of rubbish on the property, it is within the curtilage and inert in nature.

"Planning enforcement officers have also made several visits to the property and the condition of the land has certainly deteriorated over the last month or so.

"While the cars and caravans are in a reasonable condition we have written to the owner and instructed him to clear up other debris such as broken fencing and general rubbish within 14 days."

When contacted by the Guardian Mr Hill denied he had deliberately made his property a mess.

He said: "The rubbish is only a temporary thing. It's going to be moved soon. We're refurbishing the property. You can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs. We'll tidy up in due course."

He said he could not be responsible for the dumped cars as they belonged to his tenants who he described as "good people".

He added: "We always get on with our neighbours. We don't like to upset people."

Although his application for a roof extension is currently on appeal, Mr Hill confirmed to the Guardian that he was not sure what he would do with the property even if he gained planning permission to extend it.