‘Game of Thrones want their dragon back,’ neighbours fume over statues in man’s garden – but he has last laugh in battle
Lee hit back at his neighbours - blasting their "offensive" digs.
A MAN has been allowed to keep his “Game of Thrones” garden statues after furious neighbours said they looked “like a gift shop”.
Lee Morris has installed a dragon statue, four model RAF warplanes and a vintage tractor outside his home in north Lincolnshire.
The 52-year-old is proud of his “joyful” garden – but fuming neighbours have demanded he get rid of the 3 metre-high statues.
Local Valerie Moore told a planning meeting that one of Lee’s plane sculptures hangs over the boundary hedge between their homes.
She told councillors: “This development is totally inappropriate for the neighbourhood.
“If the committee allows the precedent of this type of theme park installation in a residential area, surely they’d be failing the residents.”
Another local said: “It is like they have ram raided Duxford Imperial War Museum gift shop.”
A third resident said: “Game of Thrones want their dragon back.”
But Lee hit back at his NIMBY neighbours – blasting their “offensive” digs.
He told the : “It was quite offensive the way they described my garden.
“It should have been a joyful experience decorating my garden but it has been quite stressful because of this.
“I take pride in my house and garden so to see how some people chose to describe it was upsetting.”
Lee said Hibaldstow is a historic “RAF village” with a picture of a plane on its road sign.
The North Lincolnshire village briefly hosted an RAF airstrip during the Second World War.
Defiant Lee said: “Older men ask if they can have a look in my garden because I’ve got an old Lancaster and other stuff.”
Local councillors have now backed Lee after visiting his sculpture-filled garden.
The planning committee turned down Valerie Moore’s plea for an immediate removal order.
Councillor Trevor Foster said: “It’s certainly got a wow factor.”
His colleague John Davison said: “I suppose to a certain degree, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
What are your rights?
When it comes to a neighbour’s extension or building works, there are a few common causes of discord.
Overstepping property boundaries is a common problem, and it’s important to check where the boundary lies to see whose land the works are taking place on.
You can buy these for as little as £3 from Land Registry.
Meanwhile, the Party Wall Act 1996 is a piece of legislation designed to prevent and resolve disputes between neighbours over building or digging work that affects a party wall.
Tom Edwards, partner in property disputes at LCF Law, said works within six metres of an adjoining home could fall within the act, which means neighbours must be given written notice.
He said: “Owners can also acquire rights to light over time. If you’ve had the benefit of natural light to your property for 20 years or more, even if it’s not in your deeds, it can become your legal right.”
