![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/i-could-go-to-prison-for-making-perfect-fenced-off-garden-for-my-daughter/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/newspress-collage-24239749-1696324367863.jpg&description=DON'T FENCE ME IN Published : 10:21, 3 Oct 2023 A MAN embroiled in a bitter council row is being forced to destroy his £25,000 garden or face going to prison. Richard Hickson forked out £5k for a patch of grass next to his garden in Istead Rise, near Gravesend, Kent and built a 6ft privacy fence around it. 3 Richard Hickson has been ordered to rip out his fence a ruin the garden he paid £25k for Credit: SWNS 3 Kent County Council have threatened the homeowner with a fine or imprisonment Credit: SWNS The dad-of-two created the extra space for his five and eight-year-old daughters, and shelled out another £20,000 perfecting it. Despite receiving no complaints from Kent County Council for five years, the 37-year-old is now being threatened with "a fine, imprisonment, or both" if he doesn't tear down the fence. An outraged Richard said the spot of land he bought, from developers P J Brazier and Company Limited, was "not used by anyone", only serving as a "litter trap" and a place people abandoned their cars. He told KentOnline : 'It sounds ridiculous. We could go to prison for putting up a fence. It has just been massively stressful. 'This is not going to benefit anyone and nobody cared in the first place. It is just costing everyone more money." Richard said the "devastating news" will ruin "a haven" for his children. The fuming homeowner claimed if he hadn't bought it, another resident may have snapped it up and built a small property. This would have been more invasive than a 6ft privacy fence, according to Richard. Kent County Council have told Richard, and wife Jade, the spot of grass they purchased is a 'publicly maintainable highway' subject to highway rights. This means, despite Richard owning the land, the council have final say. In a letter, seen by KentOnline, KCC told the unassuming family it is 'an offence' to 'obstruct the highway in any way' - which officials claim the fencing does. The notice added: 'KCC has the ability to prosecute you for this offence){kind=link}
A MAN embroiled in a bitter council row is being forced to destroy his £25,000 garden or face going to prison.
Richard Hickson forked out £5k for a patch of grass next to his garden in Istead Rise, near Gravesend, Kent and built a 6ft privacy fence around it.
The dad-of-two created the extra space for his five and eight-year-old daughters, and shelled out another £20,000 perfecting it.
Despite receiving no complaints from Kent County Council for five years, the 37-year-old is now being threatened with “a fine, imprisonment, or both” if he doesn’t tear down the fence.
An outraged Richard said the spot of land he bought, from developers P J Brazier and Company Limited, was “not used by anyone”, only serving as a “litter trap” and a place people abandoned their cars.