A woman has pleaded guilty to allowing her garden to become so overgrown it became a “blight on the community”.

A property owner in Hampermill Lane, Oxhey Hall, was given a conditional discharge at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on April 10 for failing to clear her back garden – despite warnings from Three Rivers District Council.

Watford Observer:

Before

The planning department issued two “untidy land notices” going back over two years because the “poor condition” of her property had “blighted the visual amenity of the street scene and neighbouring properties”.

The owner had complied with the council in clearing her front garden but allowed the rear garden to continue to cause “grief and upset to neighbours” – despite an extension granted by Three Rivers.

Watford Observer:

After

Before the court date, the property owner complied with the council and cleared her rear garden, but she was outside the time frame.

She was given a conditional discharge and ordered to comply with a second untidy land notice for another property in Harefield Road – which she has obeyed.

Watford Observer:

After

On sentencing the chairman said: "We have listened to both sides and note your guilty plea. This type of antisocial action is a blight on communities and causes a lot of grief and upset to neighbours which as to be considered. The vegetation in the back is extensive and has clearly been there a long time; longer than two years.

“We sentence you to a conditional discharge on each offence for two years. If you commit a similar offence during that period, you will not only be punished for that offence, but you will be resentenced on these offences which you have pleaded to today.”