Front wall removal - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh front wall removal in planning breach

A HOMEOWNER in Leigh is set to be ordered to rebuild a front garden wall after they removed it to make way for parking.

Leigh front wall removal in planning breach 2

A HOMEOWNER in Leigh is set to be ordered to rebuild a front garden wall after they removed it to make way for parking.

The owner of the property, in Seaview Road, could face legal action as it was pulled down by the homeowner without permission from the council.

Seaview Road is within the Leigh Cliffs Conservation Area, which restricts permitted development for properties.

The walls, which date back to the early twentieth century, are considered to form part of the character and setting of the street scene and are thereby not removable.

Complaints were made to the council in March last year about this breach of planning control.

The homeowner initially argued that the removal of the wall had been necessary as it had become unstable.

Upon the council asking for the original boundary wall to be reinstalled, they stated they wanted to form parking to the front of the site, the council documents claim.

An application that was subsequently made was rejected by the council’s planning committee on January 27.

The council documents say: “Given the significant harm identified above in respect of the loss of the front boundary wall, it is reasonable, expedient and in the public interest to pursue enforcement and/or legal action in the circumstances of this case.”

The Council state that the homeowner is still in possession of the bricks, which means that the wall can be rebuilt using the original materials.

It continues: “Given that the materials of the original wall have been kept by the property owner, enforcement action in this case can reasonably aim to secure the re-instatement of the original boundary wall (with the same materials) which is the condition of the land before the breach of planning control took place.

“Staff consider that taking enforcement action is proportionate and justified in the circumstances of and that an enforcement notice should be served.”

Leigh Lib Dem councillor Peter Wexham reportedly commented: “It’s important to protect homes in the conservation area.

“So many of those buildings have important historic elements that need to be protected.”

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