My Garden Build -Update - To Proceed or Not to Proceed - LJN Blog Posts

For anyone who read my earlier blogs, you'll know I was very excited about getting our garden built this year and we carried out phase 1 in March (clearance, removal of fences & planting of beech hedge) in preparation for the new hard landscaping build.I knew that the landscaper wouldn't be able to do the work until August but wasn't prepared for what has now occurred, so I am in a complete quandry about whether to proceed or not this year. I shall explain.The farmer who owns the farm track and land immediately beyond our rear boundary has opened a farm shop selling fruit, veg and eggs and is now using the land just beyond our rear hedge to keep chickens, ducks and pigs. Basically, we now have a pigsty at the bottom of our garden. The farmer lives elsewhere and has twice in the past made two unsuccessful applications to build a house here so we suspect that there is a hidden agenda. Paranoid as it sounds, we know that the farmer put the pigs there in retaliation for us querying whether he had planning permission for the shop and public access (he has threatened to create a pig farm on his land before when other residents objected to him leaving a tatty caravan on his land).We have contacted the Planning Dept and Highways (as we think the access for the public is dangerous being on a blind bend in a 60mph zone). The farmer has been told that he has to apply for planning permission for the farm shop. So now we just have to wait and see what happens.I now feel totally apathetic about what was an exciting project and am worried about spending thousands in case planning permission is granted and the activities increase and become permanent. If they do, I will probably have a complete rethink about the design and the amount we were going to spend.So, we will probably put the project on hold for now pending the outcome.

How frustrating? I don't envy you your decision. I've always found though in my 10 yrs of business as a gardener / designer that you can never know in advance what a neighbour is going to do (now or indeed in the future). If it were me I would go ahead with the design as you will only get more disillusioned and frustrated with an unfinished garden project. Bare in mind the worst case scenario maybe the farmer getting planning permission to build houses? Best case scenario maybe the farmer getting planning permission for his farm shop and thus allowing ducks, hens and pigs to continue living just beyond your rear hedge? If you feel his fowl and animals have insufficient water etc maybe you could contact the RSPCA and maybe that would encourage him to clean up his act? You will definitely have to retweek you garden design and get your landscaper builder in in August and continue on working on the garden build now that you have new knowledge. Think positively: Had you built the garden you would now be raging and it would have been extremely expensive to make changes? But you haven't yet started apart from clearing etc so now using the knowledge you have, retweek the design and continue with your original plan for your landscaper to start in August! Best of luck with it.....

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Comments

Ena Ronayne July 29, 2010 at 10:29am

How frustrating? I don't envy you your decision. I've always found though in my 10 yrs of business as a gardener / designer that you can never know in advance what a neighbour is going to do (now or indeed in the future). If it were me I would go ahead with the design as you will only get more disillusioned and frustrated with an unfinished garden project. Bare in mind the worst case scenario maybe the farmer getting planning permission to build houses? Best case scenario maybe the farmer getting planning permission for his farm shop and thus allowing ducks, hens and pigs to continue living just beyond your rear hedge? If you feel his fowl and animals have insufficient water etc maybe you could contact the RSPCA and maybe that would encourage him to clean up his act? You will definitely have to retweek you garden design and get your landscaper builder in in August and continue on working on the garden build now that you have new knowledge. Think positively: Had you built the garden you would now be raging and it would have been extremely expensive to make changes? But you haven't yet started apart from clearing etc so now using the knowledge you have, retweek the design and continue with your original plan for your landscaper to start in August! Best of luck with it.....
Elizabeth Buckley July 29, 2010 at 11:09am

Hi Ena,

Thanks so much for your comments, they are very helpful. As you say, at least we hadn't yet spent thousands and it is possible to change the design before the build.

Btw, permission for a house or houses would not be on land at the rear of our garden but on land behind other residents' properties; they are converted barns with some communal landscaped & parking areas. We have a management company but there is a total lack of solidarity/support from other residents who are only worried about not upsetting the farmer in case he retaliates with worse activities.

Not sure about the animal welfare side, I'm no expert, but feel sad for ducks that have no pond/water. Would be very reluctant to contact the RSPCA as the farmer could well retaliate with worse! We already have Planning, Highways & Environmental involved - the latter because the farmer is also diverting/taking water from a stream that runs across his land to a tank he has installed (presumably for irrigation).

It is very frustrating and disappointing having a garden that I can't garden in but think I may still delay things a while; my landscaper friend is in great demand and has plenty of work so I wouldn't be letting him down.

Thanks again for your comments & best wishes.

Libby
Daniel@landshaper August 2, 2010 at 1:20pm

After reading your about your dilemma I would look into the fact that he is diverting water away from a stream... this may lead to destruction of a fragile environment. look into the the course that the stream runs once it is past his land, as I believe that although he owns the land he has not legal right to the water that passes through, especially if it corrupts environs elsewhere.
Elizabeth Buckley August 2, 2010 at 3:48pm

Hi Daniel, thanks for the comment. I believe it is necessary to have a licence to take water from a stream/river. The Planning Dept have, as far as I know, notified the Dept for the Environment