Our neighbour paved over his garden to put in a DRIVE – the council slammed him but here is what we really think
NEIGHBOURS of a man forced to rebuild a wall and garden he paved over for a driveway say the saga has been a “storm in a teacup”.
David Lynch sparked council fury when he dug out nearly 50 cubic metres of soil and vegetation from his sloping lawn without permission.
After his retrospective application for parking spaces was rejected, he was hurled into long-running row, which is still raging.
In an appeal, David, from Edinburgh, said: “The fact that it is now sixteen months since we began the process and the situation remains unresolved has caused us considerable stress and anxiety.”
Planning officer Gina Bellhouse said upholding the refusal would mean the council would “ask for the land to be returned to its original form“.
But neighbours in the Blackford area of the Scottish capital say the council has blown the issue out of proportion.
One said: “I think the whole situation is a bit of a storm in a teacup. I actually feel quite sorry for him that he’s going through this ordeal.
“He’s a nice enough bloke when I’ve spoken to him and just seems to me as if he’s a elderly person who just wants to be able to park closer to his home.”
Another neighbour pointed to other residents who have done work on their driveways but never faced such a wrath.
They said it seems like “one rule for one and not others.”
In his appeal statement, David said the judgement of council planners had been “inconsistent” and “a subjective interpretation of policies” was applied by them.
Another resident told how the row has been so ferocious, folk as far as West Yorkshire have heard about it, adding: “I was visiting Leeds the other day.
“Someone asked me: ‘Are you from that street with the driveway controversy’ I was flabbergasted.”
Despite neighbourly support, SNP councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan still raised fears over the impact on neighbouring properties.
She said: “The fact that many cubic metres of soil has been removed, I’m just worried about the impact of water run-off, I’m worried about the impact on neighbouring properties, to be honest.”
But neighbours told The Sun run-off was not an issue.
Another neighbour who wished to remain anonymous, said they believe the saga was triggered by one nosey parker.
They explained: “I think everyone knows who it was that had an issue with it.
“That person has been known to patrol up and down the street when changes are being made, it wouldn’t shock me at all.”
Tory councillor Jo Mowat called it an “egregious intervention”.
She added: “I think it’s always quite difficult when someone has commenced work and you know that the enforcement process is going to kick in.”