Neighbours just can’t get them out of their shed

A FENLAND couple have been told they don’t need to remove their garden shed despite a number of complaints from nearby residents.

Jason Lea was told he needed planning permission when he replaced a dilapidated shed with a taller one when he and his partner moved into their home in a cul-de-sac on Tower Road, Friday Bridge.

Councillor Bernard Keane said: “When we visited the site I thought it was a really nice part of the village until I came across number 19 and then I just felt sorry for the residents.”

The application was brought to the planning committee after Fenland District Council received a number of complaints from nearby residents concerned that noise and disturbance coming from the shed would affect residential amenity.

A neighbour said: “The close is a quiet place 90 per cent of the time and only noisy the rest because of number 19. The shed is the ruination of a quiet corner of Friday Bridge.”

Other complainants were concerned with the future use of the building, with some worries over DJing in the early hours and it would be used as a garage for car repairs.

Mr Lea told the committee that he didn’t use the shed for commercial reasons but he was just an enthusiast and would use it for his hobby of making model aircraft.

He also said the shed, which was also too close to the property’s boundary, wouldn’t be used as a garage as there was a pond stopping vehicle access.

Councillor Martin Curtis, acting chair, approved the retrospective planning permission agreeing with the planning officer’s recommendation after the committee’s votes were tied.

Geoff Taylor, Mr Lea’s agent, added: “At the end of the day this is a garden shed with uses incidental to the enjoyment of the property - and an opportunity to tidy the rear garden. It does not adversely affect any neighbour but does improve their privacy.”