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Original poster

converting garden into drive

33 replies

marymoocow · 26/01/2009 15:04

Have managed to prove that our neighbours are illegally parking on the front garden and have had a letter sent to them from the highways agency stating this. However, they are still parking there, and the highways agency are now saying that it is difficult to enforce. What is our next move? Normally I don't worry about this sort of thing, but it is parked right up to our boundary, so needing to open the door onto our property. Also if we decided to move, it looks unsightly. AND most importantly they shouldn't be doing it.

Any advice please?
Am going to fetch dc, so will be back in a bit. Thanks

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 26/01/2009 15:06

build a wall :D

Original poster

marymoocow · 26/01/2009 15:08

would but its not that simple. Gardens have to be open plan.

OP posts:

morningpaper · 26/01/2009 15:08

wall
fence
boulders

morningpaper · 26/01/2009 15:09

are they parking on the road, or on the garden? I don't understand

Original poster

marymoocow · 26/01/2009 15:10

on the garden, but there is no dropped kerb, and the garden isn't long enough so the car is also on the path

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 26/01/2009 15:11

why do gardens have to be open plan??

if what they are doing is illegal can you involve the police? I have no idea really!

actually, have you tried talking to them?

thisisyesterday · 26/01/2009 15:11

oh well if theyt are overhanging the path I am pretty sure you can get the police involved because isn't that illegal in itself??

morningpaper · 26/01/2009 15:29

are they parking on YOUR garden?

Why is it a problem? Are they obstructing your path?

Can't you stick a spike light or boulder there?

Original poster

marymoocow · 26/01/2009 15:39

its a semi and they are parking on a central piece. The point is there is not room to do it, and yes they have to enter our garden to get out of the car.
I'm not after suggestions as to what i can do to the garden, i want to know what we can do legally, hence putting it in the legal section. I have it in writing that it is unlawful, but the highways agency do not seem to want to chase it up further. They did suggest the police but added that it would be low on their list of priorities (which i agree it would).
To answer your question MP it is obstructing the streets footpath iyswim.
No point in talking to them as they would just turn it into an arguement. I'm afraid i'm one of those people that would just like to deal with it and get on with life. They would see it as us just having a go, which we are not.

OP posts:

caykon · 26/01/2009 15:39

even if the gardens have to be open plan you can put in a flower bed or something that isnt high. We hadc to do something similar in the past

morningpaper · 26/01/2009 15:41

I think whatever you do it will turn into an argument. I can't possibly think of a course of action that they know will not come from you. I think you just have to put up with it I'm afraid!

Seeline · 26/01/2009 15:42

How about a water feature right on the boundary - that would give them a surprise next time they got out the car

slug · 26/01/2009 15:44

Complain to the council about obstruction of the footpath. Do it every time they park like that. If you are persistant they will eventually pull finger and do something about it. I had advice from a friend (a policewoman) that the police only act on complaints like that if you are persistant.

Is parking on the front garden in breach of the planning restrictions? Try that too.

Original poster

marymoocow · 26/01/2009 15:46

What's the point of having a law that says you should apply to have a dropped kerb and planning permission then if you can get away with it because they won't chase it up? I don't care if they know its come from me, but i am not going to discuss it with them in the street. I tried to talk to them in the summer about their dc having parties whilst they were on holiday (for a whole month, and yes i know teenagers will be teenagers) and their response was that we should have phoned the police. We didn't as that would have got them into trouble for leaving a 15 year old for a month, but that's another story. They stood shouting at us on our doorstep infront of our dc. Am not putting us through that again.

OP posts:

Original poster

marymoocow · 26/01/2009 15:49

Thanks slug. I have got it in writing from the highway agency that it is all unlawful. I have written again to tell them that they are still parking like it, and they wrote back to me telling me that they would write again to them but they couldn't do anything else. Would they really do something if i kept emailing them?

OP posts:

unavailable · 26/01/2009 22:23

Surely this is a matter for your local council? They are the authority that says you cannot put up a fence/ boundry as the road is open plan.

If you were able to do that you wouldnt have a problem - a LA should be able to enforce the planning restrictions they impose.

wombleprincess · 27/01/2009 09:20

torch the car. sorry, but i do feel for you, the last thing you want is a neighbour dispute, as you will have to declare this when you sell

WilyWombat · 27/01/2009 09:31

Well my first idea was dig a pond but I see someone has got in with the water feature first!!

Could you get some really solid planters to put on your boundry so they couldnt open their doors? We used to have a really big oak trough planter that hubby made -it weighed a ton so it couldnt go anywhere.

It is quite expensive to drop the kerb so im a bit pissed off if you can get away without paying...we could have saved ourselves some money!!

Surely you have to have local authority "permission" to drive across the pavement too - it might be worth looking into that as there are tons of nit picking employess on local councils just waiting to get their teeth into something like this (apologies to council employees a bit bitter here regarding planning issues!!)

trixymalixy · 27/01/2009 09:48

I would be careful about starting something with your neighbours, there's nothing worse than falling out with your neighbours.

It would really annoy me too, but I don't really see what you can do about it if you can't build a fence.

The only thing i can suggest is to complain to the council every time they park there and keep bugging them until they do something about it.

LittleBoSheep · 27/01/2009 09:53

I think they sound like the sort of people who will get "angry" however you deal with it, that doesnt mean you should just let them do what they want.

LittleBoSheep · 27/01/2009 10:06

I dont know what area you are in but search your local County Council website - this is from the Kent website.

"By law, you are not allowed to drive over a pavement or verge unless a vehicle crossing has been put in. This is because you may damage the pavement or any pipes or cables that are buried under it. Having a vehicle crossing also stops you damaging your car by bumping it on a high kerb."

--------

"Do I need planning permission?
This depends on several things, including whether:

it is in a conservation area;
you have the right to carry out building work;
your property is on a main road; and the crossing would go over land that you do not own.

It is best to check with the local planning authority to find out if you need planning permission. Your local planning authority will be either at your district, borough or city council.

NotActuallyAMum · 27/01/2009 15:49

I had a similar problem a few years ago and I put something like this up. It solved the problem straight away

Here

thisisyesterday · 27/01/2009 19:07

i know you aren't looking for a solution that involves changing the garden, but tbh if they are doing it unlawfully but the police, highways agency and council are all unwilling to help then you don't really have much choice.

i don't understand why, if you own your own home you can't put a wall or fence up. it's your own land!?!?

iof you really don't want to do that then just keep on complaining to the powers that be

NotActuallyAMum · 27/01/2009 20:15

thisisyesterday - some streets/housing estates/cul de sacs have "open plan" rules which are pointed out before you buy, that's what happened with me, and as with the OP in this case no-one wanted to know about my parking problem with my neighbour. That's why I put the little white 'chain' fence (shown in previous link) up

thisisyesterday · 27/01/2009 20:19

ahhh i see! thank you, I didn't realise the significance of the "open plan" bit

i think i would do something similar tbh, just because it'll be easier and less hassle than chasing up the authorities!

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