Couple slapped with £500 bill for growing vegetables in own garden by killjoy council

dailystar.co.uk:

couple with a bill of nearly £500 after they decided to grow vegetables in their own garden during the pandemic. Lee and Kirstie Lawes, from Lincolnshire, said they received the hefty notice from their council after they splurged thousands of pounds on creating the perfect plot.Together, the couple transformed a section of their grass into raised beds and said they thought they were doing their bit for the environment.

But the pair were left gobsmacked when they received a scathing letter from their council one year later after spending around £3000 on their plot.In the letter, South Kesteven District Council said they should have sought planning permission and threatened them with enforcement action for an apparent "change of use from open space to residential garden".It read: "The fencing off green space at the rear of the property requires planning permission because the use of the space has changed; it was not previously residential garden."The fence itself is permitted under development rights and therefore does not require permission."Please ensure that your application is submitted no later than February 24, 2000."Failure to do so may result in formal enforcement action being considered and a lack of planning permission may result in problems with any sale of re-mortgage of the property in the future." Lee says he consulted Land Registry records, which show the land has been part of the property they purchased since 1969.

But according to the council, part of the garden is classed as an open space and by turning it into a place where vegetables are grown they have officially changed its use.Lee said: "We moved into the house in December 2020, and on Christmas Day found a car parked on our garden."This happened a.