Latest news with #StephenPrice
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Record
OAP couple ordered to tear out driveway after forking out thousands of pounds
A devoted husband who spent thousands building a driveway to help his disabled wife has been ordered to tear it out after council chiefs refused him planning permission. A gran's disabled husband has been ordered to rip up the £5,000 driveway he built to help her after council chiefs refused him planning permission. Stephen Price, 65, from Hengoed, says he'll fight Caerphilly Council's decision to deny him retrospective approval after he transformed his front garden into a parking space, reports Wales Online. The plumber and builder, who lives on Heol Uchaf, started the work around ten weeks ago to make life easier for wife Kim, 67, who suffers from a string of debilitating illnesses including heart failure, arthritis and fibromyalgia. But just as the project was nearing completion, officials told him to stop and councillors last week voted against his application. The move means Mr Price could now be left with a £13,000 bill to rip the drive out. He said: "I told the council I wanted a drive and they said I'd need a dropped kerb so I paid them what would be about £500 in today's money to put one in," he said. "I can't understand how the highways department didn't speak to the planning department at the time. Nothing was said about any restrictions on using it." When asked why it had taken so long to start work on the drive, Mr Price admitted: "We weren't really desperate for a drive then. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. "It was more of a want at that point but now we are desperate with my wife's health and the parking issue getting worse. We saved up to do it." But planners shot the idea down, warning the new drive would strip away the raised garden and leave the property out of step with the "distinctive character of the area". They also claimed it could spark a wave of similar applications. Mr Price, who bought his semi from the council back in 1990, admitted not many houses on his street have drives but argued plenty of others nearby do. "It's like the council is prejudicing against our street saying we can't have driveways when about 20 other houses on the estate have them," said Mr Price, who pointed out that none of his neighbours had objected to his application. Mr Price plans to appeal the decision on the basis that "there is not one single look to the neighbourhood" and that the council is "discriminating against our street". He had told councillors on the planning committee that he had already spent more than £5,000 hiring a digger and excavating part of his property, adding: 'To put it all back – we haven't got the money to do it anyway.' A planning officer recommended refusal partly because approval would make it difficult "to resist other similar developments with cumulative adverse effects on the distinctive character of the area". Speaking in support of the application Hengoed ward councillor Donna Cushing said Mr Price had been "unaware planning permission would be required" and that parking on another street made it hard for Mrs Price to get home. Committee member councillor Nigel Dix urged his colleagues to 'show a bit of compassion' and overrule the officer's recommendation. 'I think in this case we should allow the residents to have their parking bay,' he said. Councillor Shane Williams said he 'sympathised' with the applicant's case but 'if every homeowner decided to do this that would totally undermine' the street. Councillor Mansell Powell called the case 'a bit untidy' with Mr Price 'caught in the middle' of planning rules. He claimed the presence of a dropped kerb outside the property suggested one could 'drive in' to it. The committee voted to refuse the application by eight votes to four with two abstentions. The chairman, councillor Roy Saralis, said he had a 'tremendous amount of sympathy' for Mr Price and told him he had the right to appeal the decision. 'Obviously it's a sad situation but planning is planning,' the chairman added.
Wales Online
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Wales Online
Man who spent £5,000 on driveway ordered to rip it up
Man who spent £5,000 on driveway ordered to rip it up 'It's like the council is prejudicing against our street,' said Stephen Price Stephen Price in front of his near-completed driveway which he has been ordered to remove (Image: Mark Lewis / WalesOnline) A man who spent £5,000 on a driveway to help his disabled wife has been ordered to rip it up. Stephen Price, from Hengoed, has vowed to fight Caerphilly council's decision to refuse him retrospective planning permission. The 65-year-old plumber and builder, of Heol Uchaf, started converting his front garden into a drive around 10 weeks ago and was close to completion when council officials told him to stop because he did not have permission. He then submitted a planning application which was refused last week after a majority vote by councillors. His wife Kim Price, 67, has various life-limiting illnesses including heart failure, achalasia, arthritis, anaemia, and fibromyalgia. The couple told WalesOnline a lack of spaces means they usually have to park on another street on the estate, which puts Mrs Price in difficulty due to her mobility issues. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter . Mr Price, who is facing a bill of around £13,000 to reverse the changes, claimed the council did not warn him planning permission would be needed when he requested a dropped kerb around 15 to 20 years ago. "I told the council I wanted a drive and they said I'd need a dropped kerb so I paid them what would be about £500 in today's money to put one in," he said. "I can't understand how the highways department didn't speak to the planning department at the time. Nothing was said about any restrictions on using it." Article continues below Asked why there was a long delay between the dropped kerb being put in and the driveway work starting Mr Price said: "We weren't really desperate for a drive then. "It was more of a want at that point but now we are desperate with my wife's health and the parking issue getting worse. We saved up to do it." A council planning officer recommended the application be refused because of concerns the loss of the raised front yard would put the house out of keeping with the "distinctive character of the area". They also warned other property owners could be encouraged to do the same if it went ahead. Mr Price, who bought the semi-detached house from the council in around 1990, conceded not many houses on his street have driveways but argued this is not the case for the other four streets on the estate. "It's like the council is prejudicing against our street saying we can't have driveways when about 20 other houses on the estate have them," said Mr Price, who pointed out that none of his neighbours had objected to his application. Mr Price plans to appeal the decision on the basis that "there is not one single look to the neighbourhood" and that the council is "discriminating against our street". He had told councillors on the planning committee that he had already spent more than £5,000 hiring a digger and excavating part of his property, adding: 'To put it all back – we haven't got the money to do it anyway.' A planning officer recommended refusal partly because approval would make it difficult "to resist other similar developments with cumulative adverse effects on the distinctive character of the area". Speaking in support of the application Hengoed ward councillor Donna Cushing said Mr Price had been "unaware planning permission would be required" and that parking on another street made it hard for Mrs Price to get home. Committee member councillor Nigel Dix urged his colleagues to 'show a bit of compassion' and overrule the officer's recommendation. 'I think in this case we should allow the residents to have their parking bay,' he said. Councillor Shane Williams said he 'sympathised' with the applicant's case but 'if every homeowner decided to do this that would totally undermine' the street. Councillor Mansell Powell called the case 'a bit untidy' with Mr Price 'caught in the middle' of planning rules. He claimed the presence of a dropped kerb outside the property suggested one could 'drive in' to it. The committee voted to refuse the application by eight votes to four with two abstentions. The chairman, councillor Roy Saralis, said he had a 'tremendous amount of sympathy' for Mr Price and told him he had the right to appeal the decision. 'Obviously it's a sad situation but planning is planning,' the chairman added. Caerphilly council was approached for comment. Article continues below
Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Edinburgh Live
UK households have to 'tear up' driveways due to a little-known regulation
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info UK households are being forced to "tear up" driveways and restore them to gardens due to a little-known British regulation. One Welsh man is now facing the prospect of converting his £5,000 driveway back into a garden following council orders that are costing him thousands. Stephen Price, 65, transformed his garden into a driveway to assist his unwell wife. He and spouse Kim have struggled with the shortage of parking in their neighbourhood, where they have resided for 44 years. The local authority in Hengoed, Caerphilly, has now instructed him to restore it to its original state despite there being limited street parking available in the vicinity, reports Birmingham Live. Kim, 67, battles various health conditions including heart failure, two forms of achalasia, diverticulitis, pernicious anaemia, osteoarthritis, and low blood pressure. Stephen explained: "I dug it all out and then the council got in touch and said I might need to put it all back. At the moment I'm £5,000 into this build. "To put it all back – we haven't got the money to do it anyway." Kim added: "If my husband has to park up on the hill it makes it very difficult for me. "I hardly leave the house unless I have to. I have lived here [in Hengoed] all my life and I don't want to move." He disclosed: "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." A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council told The Sun: "This is a planning matter and, as such, was dealt with under planning legislation." Chairman Cllr Roy Saralis said he had a "tremendous amount of sympathy". "Obviously it's a sad situation, but planning is planning," he added.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Husband ordered to tear up £5,000 front garden drive he built to help his illness-stricken wife by jobsworth council
A devoted husband who spent thousands converting his front garden into a drive to help his sick wife has been ordered to rip it up by the council. Stephen Price, 65, said on-street parking was so bad on his road he laid the drive to help his wife Kim, 67, whose several health struggles means it is difficult for her to get in and out of the house. But the plumber was later told he did not have planning permission for the work - and has been ordered to revert back to his original garden. He said: 'I dug it all out and then the council got in touch and said I might need to put it all back. 'At the moment I'm £5,000 into this build. To put it all back - we haven't got the money to do it anyway.' The couple have lived in their semi-detached home for 44 years and say when they first moved in they could always get a spot outside the house. But over the years families have added more cars to their homes and parking has become a 'nightmare', as the fight for spots has led to 'arguments and disputes' between neighbours. His wife suffers from a long list of serious health problems including heart failure, two types of achalasia, diverticulitis, pernicious anaemia, osteoarthritis and low blood pressure. Due to her complex issues, the great-grandmother often has to attend appointments at hospital or her GPs - but says she struggles to get in and out of the house due to the parking. Mrs Price said: 'Due to the low blood pressure sometimes my head is just spinning and I sometimes fall. If my husband has to park up on the hill it makes it very difficult for me. 'I hardly leave the house unless I have to. I have lived here [in Hengoed] all my life and I don't want to move.' Mr Price said parking issues on his street in Hengoed, Caerphilly had made it very difficult for his wife to get in and out of their home and so he planned to make the sloping drive leading to his front door. '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, it's a nightmare,' he said. 'We have to park out of the street, we desperately need extra parking.' He said he paid £300 to have a drop kerb installed outside their home 20 years ago after ringing the council to say he planned on installing a drive. He said: '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.' The plumber believes the work required to ditch his driveway plan and rebuild his garden will cost him a further £11,000-£13,000 that he doesn't have. Planning officers recommended refusal of the application for retrospective permission saying there had been 'extensive excavation and loss of the raised front garden. Cllr Nigel Dix urged fellow councillors to 'show a bit of compassion' and overrule the planning officer to allow the drive but others disagreed. Chairman Cllr Roy Saralis said he had a 'tremendous amount of sympathy' for Mr Price and that he had the right to appeal. He added: 'Obviously it's a sad situation, but planning is planning.' The outraged husband said he will appeal the decision.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
I'm being forced to rip up my driveway & turn it into a garden AGAIN… little-known rules will cost me thousands
A LOVING husband has been forced to rip up his driveway and revert it back to a garden following council rulings which are costing him thousands. Stephen Price, 65, has already spent £5,000 to turn his garden in a driveway to help his poorly wife. 5 5 5 Council officials, however, ordered him to put it back to the way it was despite there being limited on street parking in the area. The couple have lived in the semi-detached home for 44 years, and used to always be able to get a spot outside the house. However, families are increasingly owning more cars in the area to the point were parking has become a "nightmare" with "arguments and disputes" breaking out between neighbours over spots. So when Stephen wanted to make getting to the house easier for his wife Kim, 67, who suffers from various health problems including heart failure, two types of achalasia, diverticulitis, pernicious anaemia, osteoarthritis, and low blood pressure, he didn't expect to be so costly. The plumber and drain unblocker said: 'I dug it all out and then the council got in touch and said I might need to put it all back. 'At the moment I'm £5,000 into this build. "To put it all back – we haven't got the money to do it anyway.' The cost of rebuilding the garden of his home in Hengoed, Caerphilly is likely be a further £11,000-£13,000 on top of what he already paid to install the driveway. Kim added: "If my husband has to park up on the hill it makes it very difficult for me. "I hardly leave the house unless I have to. I'm trolled for 'wasting my money' by making my council house nice - but I plan to stay here for years so I won't stop "I have lived here [in Hengoed] all my life and I don't want to move." The great-grandmother explained how she sometimes falls due to having low blood pressure which causes her head to spin. Kim therefore struggles to get in and out of the house to attend hospital or GP appointments with the limited parking. Her husband therefore planned to make a sloping drive to their front door. Stephen said: "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, it's a nightmare. 'We have to park out of the street, we desperately need extra parking." Stephen also spent £300 to drop the kerb outside their home 20 years ago, which was done after telling the council of this plan. He revealed: "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." 5 5 Planning officers recommended refusal of the application for retrospective permission saying there had been "extensive excavation and loss of the raised front garden. However, Cllr Nigel Dix has urged fellow councillors and the planning officer to overrule this decisions and "show a bit of compassion". The committee have still voted to refuse the application by eight votes to four, with two abstentions. A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council told The Sun: "This is a planning matter and, as such, was dealt with under planning legislation. A report was considered by the planning committee last week and contains the reasons for the refusal. It stated: "The proposed development would result in the extensive excavation and loss of the raised front garden, amenity space and existing garden wall, which are typical features that predominate along Heol Ucha. It added that should the works be granted, it would "make it difficult for the Local Planning Authority to resist other similar developments, with cumulative adverse effects on the distinctive character of the area. "On that basis, it is not considered that the proposed development has sufficient regard to the context of the built environment and its special features and would be, therefore, contrary to Policy SP6 of the Caerphilly County Borough Local Development Plan up to 2021," the report concluded. Chairman Cllr Roy Saralis said he had a 'tremendous amount of sympathy' for Mr Price and that he had the right to appeal. 'Obviously it's a sad situation, but planning is planning," he added. Stephen plans to appeal the decision.
