Disabled pensioner, 85, who ripped up grass verge outside his home to build £2.2k driveway is forced to rip it all up

A DISABLED pensioner who ripped up a grass verge outside his home to build a driveway is being forced to tear apart his work by the local council. David Siggins, 85, spent £2,200 paving over a green area to make it easier to access his home. David spent £2,200 on the driveway Credit: SWNS The pensioner needs crutches to help him get around Credit: SWNS The pensioner, who struggles with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), claimed he had been given the go-ahead to carry out the work by Rochford Council two years ago. But he has since allegedly been instructed that the land in Rochford, Essex, belongs to the local authority. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! David alleges he has been told to remove the driveway and restore the ground. He is now seeking legal advice, insisting that he tried to follow the correct process before carrying out the work. David insists he was told the land did not belong to the council Credit: SWNS David has been given a deadline to decide how he wants to proceed Credit: SWNS David, who relies on two crutches to get around, has lived in the property for 42 years. The former tiler said: “This has made me quite ill. I’m quite close to a breakdown. “I cannot walk, that’s the problem. I use two crutches. It just seems so unfair. “It looks nice – it certainly looks better than the grass. Most read in The Sun “Two years ago I was told they didn’t own the land so I could do what I wanted with it. I did try.” He went on to allege that he: “Spoke to a very nice planning officer at Rochford Council who advised me to speak to Essex Highways. They told me it wasn’t anything to do with them. “I went back to Rochford Council and I was told they definitely didn’t own it so I should go ahead. I have it in writing it was confirmed we could do it.” David claims a subsequent planning application for the driveway was refused however and his appeal was later allegedly dismissed. The former tiler says he had no knowledge of the planning refusal or the appeal dismissal. Now, with a deadline looming at the end of August, David, who received notice the driveway had to be removed a few weeks ago, said the situation has become increasingly stressful. David, who lives with his partner and stepson, added: “It is very stressful. It’s getting me down. “I’ve not had any complaints. The close we live in has 13 houses and there are 31 vehicles. “They’re all really relieved I’ve got [the driveway] as I can get my cars off the road as there’s more space. “I’ve got a solicitor involved.” A council spokesperson said: “The resident removed a grass verge owned by Rochford District Council to install a block-paved driveway. The council has received a number of complaints. “The grass verge forms part of a larger title that is subject to restrictions due to its designation as public open space. “A planning application for the work that was previously submitted by the resident had been refused and an appeal dismissed.” The authority said David has been given until the end of August to consider how he wishes to proceed. The Sun hasn’t seen evidence that David was told he could go ahead with construction.