A dad-of-four has been left confused and frustrated after his local council started to build on land being used as a garden for the past 20 years, MyLondon reports. Brent Council have begun paving the way for work to start on the project on the site which lies next to the home occupied by Marcus Jeanton and his family.
But Mr Jeanton, of Longley Avenue, Wembley, has been using the bulk of the land as a garden since he and his family moved there in 2002. He says that details of his tenancy agreement give them exclusive access to the land and received correspondence from Brent Council themselves telling him he needed to look after the site.
The "garden" is now home to a permanent gazebo and a specialist shed for their disabled daughter. Mr Jeanton says the family have endured “months of stress” after the local authority announced the build.
Two valuers included the contested land in their valuations as part of the family's ‘Right to Buy’ application. Their tenancy agreement also states they have exclusive use of the garden at the “side and rear”.
Brent Council has since insisted it is the rightful owner of the land and said this was recently ratified in court - a decision Marcus wants to contest. The council has since told Marcus he is “trespassing” and could face costs if he doesn't clear the space.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Marcus said: “It’s been very stressful, and we just can’t understand how the council can say it’s their land. They told us in 2009 that we had to better maintain the area as it had become overgrown.
"We’ve done so ever since, putting in timber posts and fencing. Then we suddenly get this letter saying they want to build here and we’re left thinking ‘what’s going to happen to the garden?’”
He said he has invited council representatives to visit so they can discuss the situation, but that his requests have been ignored. As well as the principle of the matter, the stress it has caused his family and the thousands spent in legal fees, Marcus wants to ensure his home is valued properly.
The two-bedroom home is a bit of a squeeze with four growing children, and the family was told they could convert their living room into a third bedroom to deal with this. Instead, they plan to buy the property and convert the loft space. On top of this, they want to keep the garden for their children to enjoy and, if it comes to selling, ensure they get a fair price.
Marcus added: “I just want to keep this as a nice place for my family and I to live in, and keep the garden we have built and were told is ours. Going through the ‘Right to Buy’ process, applying for a mortgage, getting it approved, it can be stressful and time consuming.
“And to be told we would have to go through it all again and that we might lose access to the garden doesn't seem right. It feels like our garden is being taken away and attached to another property the council is building because, legally, they have to have a garden.”
The council has already bulldozed a set of garages in front of the disputed area. But Marcus claimed the workmen “didn’t feel comfortable” knocking down the gazebo area until the situation was fully cleared up.
A Brent Council spokesperson said: “The disputed land is owned by the council and not by the residents of Longley Avenue. Their claim to it was dismissed by the courts only recently. The space, when developed, will provide a much needed four bedroom council property, providing a family a safe, secure home.”
