Council 'killjoys' order family to remove play gear

For four years Honor Preston, nine, and friends have enjoyed clambering over the traditional wooden swings and slide, which cost more than 1,000, at her home near Westerhope, Newcastle.

After a neighbour complained three years ago about the climbing frame, Lindsay and Craig Preston heard no more and assumed the issue had been filed away by Newcastle City Council which, like councils across the country, is facing budget constraints.

That was until a letter arrived two weeks ago, telling them they must dismantle it within three weeks.

The initial complaint in 2007 came from a neighbour who said the climbing frame, on land next to the garden of the Preston's converted school house on a country lane, could put people off buying her property.

The Prestons wrote back to council then heard no more, and the neighbour successfully sold her home to a family whose children love to play on the climbing frame.

Then two weeks ago, the council contacted the couple to say an official had finally carried out a site visit in May, and that the structure needed to be removed because it was on the green belt on agricultural land.

Mrs Preston, a 36-year-old who runs a hairdressers said: "I think the council are being killjoys."

The family bought the house four years ago with a L-shaped paddock around the garden.

Mrs Preston said they never intended to build on the plot, and stressed that the climbing frame is not permanent.

She said: "When the council told us we had to take it down in 21 days they said we need to apply for planning permission, but we won't get it, because our piece of paddock, which is not big, is deemed agricultural land.

"All we want to do is cut the grass and play on it. We didn't buy the land to farm it.

"There's a park five minutes drive away in Callerton but that doesn't have any swings, so this is the nearest climbing frame for children around here.

"I feel there are more important and pressing issues for the council to spend their time, effort and money on. It's all a bit sad."

Responding, Newcastle City Council said the family could seek retrospective planning permission.

Harvey Emms, head of strategic housing, planning and transportation, said: "Mr and Mrs Preston have placed play equipment in an area last used as a horse paddock. Due to its size it has the potential to be a permanent structure for which planning permission would be required.

"The paddock area is in the green belt. Development in such a sensitive location needs to be carefully controlled.

"Mr and Mrs Preston are free to submit a retrospective application to seek to retain the play equipment within the paddock area on a permanent basis."

He stressed that the council had not yet made any decision on whether to take enforcement action.

"Officers from the Council will seek to meet the Prestons in the next few days in order to hopefully resolve the matter without the need for enforcement action," he added.