Picturesque Village Up In Arms After Hoarder Gets Permission To Store Junk In Front Garden

Residents in a picturesque Somerset village are up in arms after a hoarder was given permission to carry on filling his front garden with old windows and doors.

Michael Legg has converted his lawn into what’s been dubbed a “Steptoes Yard” of junk - including dozens of glazed panels, doors and other domestic fixtures.

He was granted planning permission in 2002 to use his bungalow for retail purposes under the condition he returned the land to its normal use afterwards.

But since the permission expired in 2007 he has failed to do so and the garden is now overflowing with items.

Somerset District Council imposed an enforcement notice on the property in Stoke-sub-Hamdon, near Yeovil, to comply with the conditions, but Mr Legg appealed last October.

Planning inspector Graham Self has now quashed the council’s notice, describing it as “flawed” and saying Mr Legg was a “hoarder” rather than a businessman.

Mr Self said: “Mr Legg has obviously become a hoarder, and storage is the predominant component in the current use.

"The extent of storage is such that parts of the site are inaccessible, and it is difficult to move around inside the bungalow.

"I have decided that the enforcement notice is flawed beyond correction. I shall therefore quash it.”

Residents in the beautiful village, whose population stands at just over 1,000, were outraged, however.

One resident said: “It is a health and safety problem. If all that went up in flames, I don’t think all the fire engines in Somerset could put it out.

"Mr Legg is a character, and obviously we want to keep characters in the village, but you have to draw the line somewhere.”

A spokesman for South Somerset District Council said: “The recent appeal decision related to an enforcement notice that had been served upon Mr Legg.

"We are aware of the concerns of local residents and the parish council, and we will continue to pursue this matter to ensure that this unsightly garden area is tidied up”.

Mr Legg was approached but he declined to make any comment, stating that the matter was being handled by his solicitor.

(Pictures credited to SWNS)