Wiltshire Council’s Planning Enforcement team has successfully cleared a severely neglected domestic garden on Eastern Avenue, Chippenham.

Following multiple complaints from local residents, officers visited the site and found the front and rear of the properly severely overgrown and full of rubbish, negatively affecting the surrounding area.

In September, the council issued a Section 215 enforcement notice under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, requiring the landowner to improve and clear the garden within 30 days.

Despite being served with an enforcement notice and repeated efforts to engage with the owner, no meaningful steps were taken to address the condition of the property.

As a result, the council exercised its powers to clear the garden, with the costs to be recovered from the landowner. Between April and July 2025, contractors removed 14 truckloads of waste and overgrown vegetation. Items cleared from the site included:

• 12 broken bicycles
• 250 damaged plant pots
• 58 partially used paint cans
• 4 sheets of asbestos
• 2 tents
• 2 fridges
• 5 doors
• 4 window frames
• Numerous items of scaffolding and construction materials

Cllr Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management and Housing, said: “We don’t expect for every home to have a show garden, but in this instance the property was severely overgrown, untidy and unsightly, which ultimately affects the look and character of the surrounding area and impacts the community.

“We tried repeatedly to negotiate with the owner to resolve the situation, but when these were ignored, we were forced to take this action and charge the clearance costs to the landowner. Enforcement is always a last resort, but we will not hesitate to act when properties fall into serious neglect and impact the wider neighbourhood.

“I’d like to thank our officers and contractors for their professional and safe handling of the clearance, including the responsible disposal of hazardous materials such as asbestos.”

For more information on planning enforcement and Section 215 notices, visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/planning-enforcement.