A retired couple from Hengoed faces a heartbreaking and costly dilemma after their local council ordered them to rip up a newly installed driveway, citing a little-known planning rule.
A Driveway Built from Necessity
Stephen Price, 65, and his wife Kim, 67, made the decision to convert their front garden into a driveway after 44 years living in their home. The primary motivation was the severe lack of parking in their neighbourhood, which had become a 'nightmare'.
Stephen explained the situation had drastically changed since they first moved in. 'There are only 12 houses on our street and when we first moved in there were only about five cars. Now if everybody is in or people have visitors over there can be 25-30 cars.'
The need for convenient parking was made more urgent by Kim's numerous health conditions, which include heart failure, two types of achalasia, diverticulitis, pernicious anaemia, osteoarthritis, and low blood pressure. 'If my husband has to park up on the hill it makes it very difficult for me,' Kim said. 'I hardly leave the house unless I have to.'
The Council's Shocking Order
After investing £5,000 into the project, which included having the kerb installed, the couple were contacted by Caerphilly County Borough Council. The council informed Stephen that he may have needed planning permission for the work and ordered him to return the driveway to its original state as a garden.
Stephen expressed his frustration and confusion, stating, 'They never told me then I needed planning permission. They just told me I needed to pay this £300 – which is about £600 in today’s money – that’s all they said. I had the kerb installed and now I want to know if I was miss-sold this. They were happy enough to take my money.'
Financial Strain and an Uncertain Future
The order to reverse the work has left the couple in a precarious financial position. Stephen admitted, 'To put it all back – we haven’t got the money to do it anyway.' The emotional toll is also significant, with Kim adding, 'I have lived here [in Hengoed] all my life and I don’t want to move.'
When approached for comment, a spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council stated: 'This is a planning matter and, as such, was dealt with under planning legislation.'
The case highlights the critical importance for homeowners across the UK to verify planning permission requirements before undertaking significant property alterations, even those that seem straightforward like creating off-street parking.
