Plants in ‘terribly overgrown garden jungle’ leave homeowner £3,000 bill

A homeowner who had abandoned his garden to grow into a runaway ‘jungle’ had his plants cut down by the council, which has levied a fee of almost £3,000 on the property.

Eastbourn Borough Council contractors had to wade through bushes with a chainsaw and chop them back to gain access to the garden in late October.

Neighbors complained to Borough Council in July 2022 about the “terribly overgrown” eyesore.

The homeowner promised to get rid of the undergrowth within three months, but did nothing about the giant bushes, the agency said.

Neighbors complained to Borough Council in July 2022 about the “terribly overgrown” eyesore

Eastbourn Borough Council builders were forced to wade through bushes with a chainsaw and chop them back to gain access to the garden in late October, and were hit with a £3,000 fee to cover the builders’ costs

They then began a mammoth two-day clean-up that found a greenhouse covered in ivy.

The encumbrance on the house was levied to cover the cost of the clearance works and will be repaid when the property is sold.

A court hearing was not required to charge the property because the notice issued by the council was ignored by the homeowner, Eastbourn Borough Council said.

A Section 215 messy land notice was served by the council, which gave the nightmarish neighbor three months to clean up his land.

The notice allows councilors to call for land rehabilitation if it affects “the convenience” of a neighborhood.

Before granting one, town halls must consider the nature of the land, the impact on the surrounding area and the scope of their powers.

Since 1999, around 80 percent of the decisions issued nationwide have been complied with.

A Section 215 messy land notice was served by the council, which gave the nightmarish neighbor three months to clean up his land

The homeowner promised to get rid of the undergrowth within three months, but did nothing about the giant bushes, the agency said

The encumbrance on the house was levied to cover the cost of the clearance works and will be repaid when the property is sold

Councilor Colin Swansborough, Cabinet Member for Local Services at Eastbourne Borough Council, said after the garden was cleared: “Taking enforcement action is a last resort but those who ignore the advice of our officials should have no doubt that we will act directly when.” needed.

“Understandably, some residents on Park Avenue wanted this horribly overgrown garden jungle to be cut back.

“I’m pro-home wildlife and pro-grow grass and pro-hedge hedges, but it was beyond any reasonable interpretation of this approach to gardening.”

The encumbrance on the house was levied to cover the cost of the clearance works and will be repaid when the property is sold.

A court hearing was not required to charge the property because the notice issued by the council was ignored by the homeowner, Eastbourn Borough Council said.