A furious HGV driver claims a 'jobsworth' council sums up 'daft' red tape blighting Britain as they say it's too dangerous for him to have his own driveway - despite SIX neighbours being allowed them. Paul and Lynne O'Flynn moved into their three-bedroom end-of-terrace property 22 years ago and, as it's without a driveway, have always parked on its public road.
The dad-of-one said that when their nearby sports grounds have matches, parking spots get 'absolutely rammed', which sometimes forces him to park a quarter of a mile away. This, compounded with eventually wanting an electric car with its own charging point, saw the 61-year-old ask Leeds City Council to drop the kerb so he could build his very own driveway.
But the professional driver says his plans quickly went 'pear shaped' as his application was rejected as reversing out of it was deemed 'unsafe' and the space was 40cm too small. Paul appealed their decision but says the council dug its heels in with a series of 'petty' reasons for why he wasn't getting the green light.
One explanation was that a driveway would block a potential escape route from the property - despite his front door being to the side. The doting husband of 35 years claims he tried to refute their 'stupid' logic by promising that he'd always reverse into his driveaway, so would have a clear view of the road when driving out.
Adding salt to the wound, Paul says a number of his neighbours have been granted permission to build their own driveways and that they reverse out of them onto the road. After responding to their last 'pathetic' e-mail three months ago, an 'angry and frustrated' Paul claims he hasn't heard a peep since.
Despite the local authority putting a spanner in the works for his plans, the dad is determined to come to a solution - and joked that if he didn't, he'd knock the wall down anyway.
Leeds City Council said they assess each request on a 'location by location basis' and that the 'minimum standards have not been met'.
Paul said: "When I received my last response I thought 'did they actually come out and have a look?'
"Because all the points - reversing onto the main road, which is 'dangerous', the fire escape, which is 'dangerous' and the overhang, which could be 'dangerous', those are just pathetic really.
"I can't understand what the problem with health and safety is if I'm going to be reversing in. If the other neighbours are reversing out, I don't see what their point is on that.
"I've been frustrated and angry about it. When you go along our road towards the rugby club, everybody flies through there and they've granted someone a driveway on that and he reverses out onto it, and that's an absolutely mental road.
"You see things like that and think - how can they do it? What is the reason?
"The council has been a jobsworth. It's very, very annoying, the reasons are very petty.
"With how ridiculous the council have been, it sums up how daft UK planning red tape can be.
"If you have a look at the way I want to put my car in, it's really easy, it would it in perfectly, so I can't see what their problem is.
"And you do see other places where cars are in like how I want it to be and they've been passed, so it is ridiculous. It's really really stupid."
Paul got the plans in motion for building his new driveway around six months ago when he first reached out to the council.
He was hoping they'd grant him permission to drop the kerb, so he can knock down their front wall and build their own private parking spot.
Paul said: "We've put it off and put it off and because there's more and more cars and families are having multiple outside their house, it gets a bit cramped.
"There's a rugby and cricket ground just at the end where we are and it just gets absolutely rammed and packed down there.
"I've asked for double yellow lines on both ends because they park right on the corners and they won't do that.
"So I thought I'd try and get a little driveway so I can park my car in and then at least I've got space to get in and out when the rugby matches are on.
"We eventually want our own smaller electric car and I'll need an electric point and can't have one on the outside on the road because I'd have to dig it under or it would be a trip hazard.
"Lynne minded at first about the car being in front of the window, that's why it took so long, but she said 'if you can get a dropped kerb and driveway, then do it'.
"But then obviously it just went pear shaped from there."
Paul claims his application for a dropped kerb was rejected due to the space being 4.6 metres long instead of five and that reversing out of it would be 'unsafe'.
The VW Tiguan driver, who is hoping to eventually downsize, claims the council never asked what size car he had, so he could have had a tiny Smart car for all they knew.
After Paul responded, he was informed that their decision was correct for four reasons.
They said driveways must have 5m availability in order to drive on and off, and that his is around 4.6m which isn't sufficient.
Parking in effect parallel to the footway creates 'problems in manoeuvring', risking damage to property and land, risking injury and accident to pedestrians by creating blind spots in order for him to make his manoeuvres.
There's potential overhang of the vehicle (or future vehicles) and that they need to consider the hazard this presents to residents and those with accessibility or visual impairments.
They also said that a driveway would present a hazard in the event of blocking escape routes in an emergency, either through the door or window.
Paul said: "They said it was dangerous to drive or reverse on to the road because of the traffic and the people around.
"I thought [it] was stupid because there's like four people opposite that reverse out onto the same road.
"They said it was a fire escape hazard, he must have thought I had a door on the front but it's on the side, which is no problem whatsoever.
"They said that parking in effect parallel to the footway itself creates problems in manoeuvring. They must think I can't drive, I am a wagon driver, but yeah.
"If they don't think I can reverse into a space that's big enough to get a car in, obviously then there's obviously something wrong with them isn't there?
"With the potential 'overhang of the vehicle and future vehicles', I reckon they think that when I knock the wall down and get my car in I'll be overhanging on to the front path outside.
"But I've measured up and I can easily swing it in and put it perfectly, there's no overhang, and if I get an electric Golf it will be even smaller."
Paul claims he disputed their case once again and also mentioned that he'd always reverse into the space, so would have a clear view when driving out.
Paul said: "I've e-mailed two different councillors. I'm determined to try and get something sorted.
"I'll probably give up and after a couple of years will knock the wall down and drive the car in anyway [jokes].
"I probably will have to give up eventually I think. I don't want to do anything illegal so I'll probably just have to give up eventually if nothing happens."
A Leeds City Council spokesman said: "Like many highway authorities, we produce guidance notes for such proposals and generally speaking, will seek to support these requests provided they are safe and appropriate.
"We assess each request on a location by location basis. The minimum standards are clearly set out in the guidance note, as is the non-refundable inspection fee.
"In this particular case, the site has been visited, the minimum standards have not been met and the applicant has been informed of this decision on more than one occasion."
