Town at war over 'Berlin Wall MK2' built to block access to a walking route after Google Maps blunder... as furious local knocks it down with a JCB

Daily Mail​

06-05-2025

A mysterious local has took matters into their own hands to tear down a town's controversial wall, dubbed 'The Berlin Wall Mk 2', with a rented JCB.
The concrete blocks on Kellands Lane in Okehampton, Devon, had been put up to block a popular walking route which families used to get to school.
It was built between two housing estates which developers said was private land, warning those who passed through were 'trespassing'.
A local erected the wall after Google Maps blunder had begun directing pedestrians to pass through the road as a walking route.
The wall became unpopular with locals and graffiti had appeared on it, calling it 'The Berlin Wall Mk 2'.
Officials at West Devon Borough Council issued a 'Temporary Stop Notice' on April 17 to prevent further works from happening.
An Enforcement Notice was then made on April 25 officials were set to tear the wall down if it was not removed by May 27.
However the wall was destroyed prematurely, when an unknown local rented a JCB to breach the structure.
Locals rejoiced at its removal, with the path now open again for pedestrians to pass through.
Dana Green, 40, said: 'Nobody knew why it was put up. I moved here seven years ago and there was a hedge which died.
'Then they put up this huge wall and the kids have been crawling underneath the gaps. It's really dangerous.'
Roy Hopkinson lives right next to the hated wall. 'It's been mental', he concedes, 'I don't know why they've put it there.
'It does look like the Berlin Wall, It made the neighbourhood a lot quieter, people were joking that there would soon be watchtowers installed.
'Everyone was grateful to the person that knocked it down.'
One local posted on Facebook when the wall went up: ''I thought Trump was only building walls in America!'
'My husband can't get through it as he uses a mobility scooter' said Verity Warren, 'I can't believe they just whacked it up. It used to be a load of dirt but then they made a new path when the school was opened.
Residents rejoiced, saying they were 'grateful to the person that knocked it down'
'Nothing happens for ages and then there's a bloody great wall built.
'Why didn't they just put some bollards down!'
Keith Monnax told MailOnline he had originally made the path through the mud.
He said: 'I saw them putting the wall up and thought it was a bit harsh. But then they came and knocked it down anyway.
'What happens now? It's petty and all about land, but nobody knows where it will go from here.'
Councillor Caroline Mott, Lead Member for Planning and the Built Environment at West Devon Borough Council, told Devon Live: 'The Council has taken action to have the structure removed and hope the inconvenience to the community will be resolved as a matter of urgency.'
Councillor George Dexter said the problem is the land is located on a 'ransom strip' from a nearby stretch of privately owned land.
Therefore any use of the road as a thoroughfare is technically trespassing.
He explained: 'There used to be a hedge here, but families would just walk around it and in the intervening years the estates have sprung up around it.
'A few weeks ago this wall suddenly appeared and everyone was confused. It cuts off everybody here.
'Last week a resident took things into his own hands and soon after the council issued an enforcement notice.'
A spokesman for Leander Developments said: 'The land in question is under private ownership, and there is no public right of way across this land - this isn't a question of inconvenience to the public, as anyone who crosses this land is committing trespass.
'To date, we have received a stop notice, but not an enforcement notice.
'The recently erected temporary structure, on our land, was done for public safety and insurance purposes as Google Maps has started to show a right of way across this private land.
'Our insurance requires us to take reasonable steps to prevent trespass, and Google now showing this as a right of way could invalidate our insurance, unless we can demonstrate that we have taken positive steps to prevent illegal entry onto our land.
'On Thursday 17th April, a member of the public, with a digger, caused criminal damage by driving through this temporary structure. This has been filed with the police who have raised a crime number.
'We would recommend members of the public stay away from this structure as we cannot guarantee its integrity following this attack, and the stop notice served by the Council prevents us from undertaking any remedial work.
'To safeguard our insurance, we considered it our right under permitted developments to erect a temporary structure, and it is disappointing that Council is taking measures which allow trespassing to continue, despite making them aware that this was for insurance purposes.
'On 6th January 2023 (nearly two and a half years ago) we had a meeting, on site, with two Directors of the Council, the local member, and the then Leader of the Council to discuss a long-term solution to complete the Kellands Lane connection.
'After the meeting, no further action was taken by West Devon Borough Council. We remain willing to work towards a long-term solution to complete the road connection, but West Devon Borough Council do need to engage with us to enable this to happen.'