by A council is threatening to take a woman to court after she refused to comply with an order to remove floodlights and move vehicles from her own driveway. But homeowner Jenny Cummings has branded the move ‘pathetic’, saying: “We’re not doing anything wrong.”
Jenny, 44, moved to the property in South Wales in February 2021 with her husband and two of their children. They had done some work on their house first.
Jenny said that this led to a dispute with her neighbour, which led to a number of complaints being brought to the attention of Newport City Council.
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“When we first moved in we wanted to renovate and extend,” she told WalesOnline. “We had planning, health and safety etc figured out and it was fine. We moved into a property three years ago and had problems with our neighbours, who reported us to the council.”
Jenny said the problems have escalated and she and her husband have been given an enforcement order by Newport City Council asking them to stop parking vehicles they use for their vehicle recovery company on their driveway at Gray House Farm in Glenapple .
Jenny said the council is accusing the couple of operating the vehicle recovery business from their home, but she says this was never the case. “We usually park two vehicles – sometimes a truck, sometimes a van – from the recovery company,” she said. “They are vans, not huge HGVs, which we would really have space for [in our driveway].
“We have been informed because my husband goes out every hour of the night. Every now and then there may be a job that comes in between 7 and 7am, but it is only my husband and son running it so there aren’t many of those jobs.
“We rent a commercial unit down the road and we moved here to be closer to the unit, where we have trucks etc. The council say they think we are running a business. We have tried to explain to them that we are not we are and just park the vehicles here sometimes – a plumber doesn’t bring his car home if he gets an emergency job?”
Jenny said they were also told to remove a series of small floodlights from the ground, which light up where apple trees grow. But she says it would be “stupid” to remove the lights and people could be tripping over fallen apples in the dark or winter.
They were also told to take down a single CCTV camera, which she had installed after her house was vandalised, due to privacy concerns, to remove a small storage cabin in the corner of their land, and to move an unused children’s swing to an area another. of the property.
But Jenny said they did not comply with the notice because the council did not offer any evidence that they were running a business from her home and she does not think they are doing anything wrong.
“We don’t believe we’re doing anything wrong. We’re not running a business, the camera is there for protection, that cabin is cornered and not to harm anyone. We think it’s stupid take down the floodlights.”
Jenny said they are due to appear in court on May 23 for failing to comply with the advice notice, which could lead to prosecution. Despite this, she said they will not comply.
She said they could appeal the announcement but did not do so because her grandson had just been born at the time and “it was not a top priority,” adding: “Our intention is he is patient.”
Jenny said she didn’t know how much she could be fined but that there seemed to be little other option than going to court. She added: “I think the only option is to go to court. I’ve spoken to a solicitor who is going to arrange a meeting. As far as I’m concerned I’m not doing anything wrong.
“We will definitely be fined. We don’t know how much. Probably if we go to court and they find us guilty, I’m worried what will happen. My husband would still park on his drive – would we still go to jail. would it go that far?
“We have a yard down the road but it doesn’t make sense to jump in the car and go down there in his oily clothes.” Jenny also said that the road they live on causes noise problems due to the frequent passing of large vehicles, which she feels disturbs much more than what they are doing.
“On this road, these trucks have been taking rubbish down to recycling since 6am and our house is shaking because of it, but we are used to it. The sound our vehicles make is exactly the same as it would car.
“We already have noise in this area and we’re not adding to it. It’s already here. I’ve spoken to other neighbors in our area and they have no problem with anything we’re doing.
“It’s ridiculous. We’re not bothering our neighbours. We live a very strange life. We’re in bed at 8pm.”
Jenny said she called for intervention many times to report them to the council to stop, but nothing happened. She also said that she had been affected mentally and physically over the past few years.
“I’ve lost a lot of weight, I’m back and forth to the doctor with stomach problems. I asked if it could be stress and they said it could be. I get anxious. My husband is the same. It goes quiet for a while and we forget about it.
“We have sleepless nights about it. It’s just a constant. There are other things in our lives that are more important. We have family members who are sick.”
A spokesman for Newport City Council said: “In September 2021, the Council commenced an enforcement enforcement process against the unauthorized commercial use of this site, namely by demolition, mobile tire fitting and vehicle transport business, because that there were no informal channels. the planning breach has been resolved.”
“The owners were informed that they had the right to appeal against the enforcement notice to the independent inspectorate, Planning and Environment Decisions Wales. No appeal was ever made and the notice is now in place.”
“The notice has not been complied with and, as a result, the council is now taking the next step to try to end the continued unauthorized use of the site. Magistrates will hear the case in May and it would be inappropriate to comment. further and legal proceedings are still ongoing.”
