Homeowner, 67, ordered to tear down decking or face £20,000 fine 

A grandmother has been ordered to tear down her £5,000 picturesque decking outside her riverside home - or face a £20,000 fine.

Homeowner Lesley Priestley, 67, had decking constructed in her garden so that she could relax outside with her family, consisting of five children and ten grandchildren.

Ms Priestley, from Tredegar, South Wales, says she was told by builders that she didn't need planning permission when the decking was constructed at her three-bedroom house four years ago.

But within a year the council had begun an investigation into the decking after a complaint from a member of the public.

Now Blaenau Gwent council now say she must demolish it because it sits on a flood zone next to the riverbank. 

Ms Priestley said: 'This is my forever home and I basically wanted to make the most of what I've got there.

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'When I bought the property it came with a piece of ground which is alongside my property.'

She said that the previous owners had landscaped some of the garden alongside the riverbank which is her land.

'It was just a dumping ground to be honest. There's a bridge near and people were throwing things in. I just wanted to clean the whole area up,' she said.

'I got some quotes from local builders to get it built. I asked if I needed planning permission and they said "no, you won't need it" but you can look at the guidelines online.'

She claimed it was exempt from planning permission requirements as the decking would not exceed 50 per cent of her property's size or raise the ground over 30cm.

But images of the decking appear to show it stands well over 30cm above the ground. 

The work cost £5,000 to build and Ms Priestley also bought two benches, flowers and hedgehog houses to 'enhance' the area and support local wildlife.

But the council's Inspector Davies said most of the decking surface is 'well in excess' of 30cm above the ground and 'consequently, the raised decking does not meet a specified limitation and therefore cannot benefit from the permitted development rights.'

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He added: 'No permitted development rights apply and no planning permission has been granted so the raised decking constitutes a breach of planning control. Accordingly, the appeal... fails.'

A few months after her decking had been built, she was handed an enforcement action and told to remove the decking because it was built in a flood zone but she appealed the decision.

Welsh Government officials have now upheld the demolition ruling over the property and told her the decking must go.

Enforcement officer Paul Samuels stated: 'The raised decking was established as being in a flood zone and in a site of importance to nature and conservation.

'That enforcement notice has now become effective from the date of the inspectors decision which was on August 28.

'We are just awaiting compliance with that notice now.'

Ms Priestley must remove the decking within three months of the notice or face paying £20,000. She hopes to begin work to tear it down in November.

She said: 'I feel that it is unreasonable of Blaenau Gwent council to request that the decking is taken down as it is deemed a flood risk as clearly this is not the case according to records.'

She added that her neighbours received a letter on Thursday, October 12 informing them that work will be carried out between October 21 to October 28 to assess the flood risk to the area - despite already being told her decking was built in a flood zone.

But Ms Priestley added she will not contest the ruling as she just wants a 'quiet life'.