Widowed gran, 72, hangs huge sign saying ‘all I want is a driveway’ in parking row with council
A WIDOWED gran has hung a huge sign outside her house saying “all I want is a driveway” in a parking row with the council.
Ann Sutton desperately wants a driveway for her Essex home, but has been denied by the local council who argue it wouldn’t look nice.
The 72-year-old fears she will lose the disabled parking spot near her house granted to her late husband, and has pleaded with the authority to rethink.
To make her point she strung up a large sheet with the hand painted message on – where she wants the driveway to be.
She said: “When they refused again I just said that I’ll put it on a bedsheet.
“Nobody would believe I would do it, but my Grandson helped me and we did it, and I think everybody was shocked.
“I said: ‘Well I wasn’t going back on my word.’
“I’m going to leave it up so that it looks untidy if that’s what they’re telling me I would do with a bit of tarmac.
“Nobody else has complained but the Parish Council.”
The gran and her late husband applied five years ago to build a drive and were refused.
Now she is on her own and may lose the nearby parking spot Ann went back to the council asking them to reconsider.
But she was told she would need to reapply and pay £200, but would likely not be granted the driveway as the reasons for first refusal still stand.
CHASING PAVEMENTS
She said: “If they said I would apply and get it I would gladly put in the plans that’s all I want to do.
“Being a widow and pensioner, I cannot afford to lose money for them to dismiss it.
“It’s £206 to put in a plan now, it used to be £172 but obviously it’s gone up.
“They won’t come out to see me and I’ve asked twice for them to come out.
“I don’t want them to pay for it, I just want a yes, a guarantee that they’ll grant the plans if I put them in.”
So she got her grandson to help her paint the sign, and says it’s caused quite the stir – but hasn’t persuaded the council to reverse the decision yet.
She said: “I think when you’re by yourself you get your hackles up a bit more.
“People come up to me and say: ‘That’s outside yours isn’t it Ann?’ and I say, ‘Yes that’s me.’
“Blow it, I’m leaving it up, let them moan.”
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A Braintree District Council spokesperson, said: “This planning application was refused in 2014 because of the impact it would have on the character of the street and the lack of space within the site, compromising the safety of pedestrians and other drivers.
“The applicant did not appeal against the council’s decision.
“We have responded to correspondence explaining the reasons for refusal are still relevant and therefore would still be refused permission if she did reapply.”
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