Successful outcomes for unhappy neighbours in Earl Shilton and Barwell

In mid-2024, the council’s housing team were being contacted regularly about a property in Earl Shilton, at which the front garden was in very poor condition.

This was referred to the planning enforcement team, who sent warning letters to the registered owners in September and October 2024. The letters gave them until the end of 2024 to tidy up the land or be served a Section 215 notice.

No action was taken, so the notice was served in July 2025. A further check in September 2025 found that the front garden had been cleared in compliance with the notice.

A similar complaint was received from Cllr Charlotte Green about a property in Barwell in February 2025. Neighbours were complaining about an “infestation of rats” caused by a resident dumping gardening waste at the front of their property.

A warning letter was sent to the property’s owners in March 2025, requiring the removal of all landscaping and gardening waste. They were also told to stop using the front garden for such purposes.

As no action was taken to comply, a Section 215 notice was served. A check made in September 2025 found that the front garden had been cleared in compliance with the notice.

Cllr Bill Crooks, Executive Member for Planning at the Borough Council, said: “I would like to thank the neighbours of these properties in Earl Shilton and Barwell for bringing them to our teams’ attention, and to our planning enforcement staff for their hard work on these cases.

“I’m glad that both instances were resolved after the notices were served. No neighbours should have to put up with such cases, and I am pleased that the appropriate action was taken.”