THE rejection of an enforcement notice to remove an "eyesore" in Park South angered a Swindon MP and ward councillor.
Justice secretary Robert Buckland wrote to the housing minister criticising the quashing of a notice which would have forced a Loxley Walk homeowner to remove the mobile home and shipping container from her garden.
The local authority served the enforcement notice in November but the homeowner appealed and the planning inspectorate took months to mull over who was right, then dismissed the notice because of an apparent lack of detail and clarity.
Robert Buckland MP responded: "Residents have been in touch with me daily and I have attended the site to personally witness the detrimental effect that this issue is having upon the community.
"There was no warning that the notices would be unacceptable over the months and a member of the planning inspectorate actually attended the site to inspect it.
"Why would they make this unnecessary journey and carry out an inspection and then go on to dismiss the notices?
"It makes no sense whatsoever and it is my constituents who have suffered as a result of this, after enduring months upon months of living in these conditions."
Mr Buckland asked to speak with the decision-makers over the phone but they refused to arrange a call, "much to [his] shock and dismay".
He added: "I am absolutely appalled by this unaccountable bureaucracy that seems to have no regard for local people at all.
"I would urge you to investigate this issue as a matter of urgency on behalf of my constituents who are still suffering when this matter should have been long resolved."
Coun Solomon similarly wrote to Chris Pincher MP about the unwelcome additions to Loxley Walk which are believed to have been built without planning permission.
He wrote: "It had turned into an eyesore, with neighbours calling it a scrap junkyard, causing them anxiety and disappointment."
"I have been trying my hardest to get this resolved for about two years now via SBC planning [but] something has gone terribly wrong with dealing with 1 Loxley Walk by the planning inspectorate."
Community campaigner Curtis Flux said in his letter to the same person: "I would like to express my utmost disappointment regarding a planning matter.
"[The] enforcement notice was dismissed after a lengthy wait due to “technical issues". This created more anger throughout the community and a feeling of being let down on what would appear to be a fairly straightforward issue."
When the enforcement notice was first rejected, Swindon Borough Council had this to say: "The council is disappointed with the decisions received from the planning inspectorate, particularly following many recent successes that we have had defending similar enforcement notices at appeal.
"Regrettably, the inspector didn't uphold these notices, which were dismissed on technical issues.
"The council would like to reassure residents that we intend to continue working to achieve a satisfactory conclusion to bring what the council consider to be unauthorised development to an end as soon as possible."
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