June - 04......................Andrews 'toys'

The outside of the cottage is looking much prettier now than when we first moved here.  My sister and friends who come up regularly, love to help in the garden.  The vegetable garden was taking shape. Eddie was enjoying putting in the wooden frames creating raised beds and we used the cinders from the coal fire for the pathways in between.  

The only trouble is the noise we have to listen to when we are in our garden.  Sunday morning - a beautiful sunny day - time to enjoy a peaceful day in the garden.  Not so here.  The power hosing of lorries would start up and go on for hours. The incessant sounds of rock being quarried and loaded onto lorries was such an unpleasant, intrusive and overbearing noise.  Weekends were when Eddie and I would be together wanting to enjoy our new home, but always spoiled by the unrelenting activities next door.  The sounds were unfriendly and aggressive and so alien to the environment surrounding us.

The weekends were now becoming fraught as we tried to stay positive about our plans but the interference in our lives from the neighbours was not improving.  We have lived rurally for a number of years prior to purchasing here and know to expect the sounds of tractors coming and going, deliveries of feed and so on.  However the disturbances we were putting up with were not those of farming they were industrial and blighting our quality of life.  There seemed to be no consideration for us.   Ann Gifford had also, quite obviously, found this disturbance intolerable as she had only been able to suffer it for a few months before selling - to us!  The family before her had lasted only eighteen months before they too, moved out.  We'd been living here for six months and were feeling miserable.  We talked of the options we had, which were not good.  It would be difficult to sell given the history of this property.

The neighbours horses were continuing to somehow escape from an extremely well-fenced paddock area onto my land, and I continued to put up with my neighbour walking onto my property to retrieve them without by or leave.  

My phone calls to the council were proving to be more stressful than productive, as it was clear my concerns were falling on deaf ears.   

The excuses as to why the council's enforcement officers couldn't, hadn't or wouldn't, look into the lorry business and it's associated operations was something I had now come to expect from Mr. Canning.  Mr. Canning was quite clearly supporting my neighbours by his deliberate delaying tactics.  I couldn't understand why this would be, especially as several other local people had  complained before we came to live here.  It was quite clear that Blaenpant was being developed for the haulage business and something the council should be taking seriously.  

 July 04

My neighbour, Andrew Thomas, had now taken to driving his JCB, (which Karen Thomas referred to as his 'toy')  up and down the boundary line directly opposite my veranda.  This is where I would enjoy sitting in the sunshine in the early mornings, but not now.    

He would drive this machine up and down up and down the fence line for up to two hours at a time for seemingly no reason whatsoever at different times of the day.   I couldn't fathom this man out at all.  It seemed such a pointless exercise, unless it was to deliberately annoy.    I would be woken at the crack of dawn at the weekends by this same machine or sometimes their tractor,  being aimlessly driven around their yard areas, more it seemed, to create noise than for any purposeful reason.  On a few mornings the tractor would be dragging a slab of concrete up and down their roadway.  Bizarre behaviour indeed.   This, together with their horses regularly ending up on my land, led me to question if in fact my neighbours were being deliberately provocative.  Were they attempting to drive us out in the way they had driven others out before us.

On another occasion when my neighbour was using his 'toy' to uproot trees on his land, one fell across my fence.  I waited a while and when it became clear he wasn't going to remove it from my fence, I asked him politely if he would do so.  He became most unpleasant and shouted   "your side of the fence Trish, your problem".   I told him 'I wouldn't be able to move it and would have to ask someone to do it for me',  and  'as he had pushed the tree over would he please remove it from my fence'.  He did eventually remove the fallen tree, but there was no apology for the damage to my fence.  We now had two large areas of damaged fence which the Thomases were responsible for, but no apology forthcoming.   He mumbled and swore but did remove it. I was determined not to get into any confrontation with them even though it was beginning to feel as though this was something they had planned and very much wanted.   All I wanted was a peaceful existence, to enjoy my home and to be on good terms with my neighbours. which our conveyance should have ensured.

The prospect of a huge shed dwarfing us was also playing on my mind and making me feel low in spirits.   Do we sell. Do we move.  How were we going to sell now.  I was feeling desperately low and worried about our future here.

I couldn't bear the noise any more.  The council clearly were not going to help, and I was feeling under a great deal of pressure. The dream cottage and our plans were disappearing from sight.  Our retirement plans were not going to happen.  I was also feeling very intimidated by the neighbours, especially knowing how they had threatened people and would obviously threaten us if they found out that we too had spoken to the council.   This put me in a state of permanent worry and stress, and I wasn't sleeping well any more. The horses coming onto our land was still a problem, and my fears that they were doing this on purpose were increasing.  They were clearly not neighbours the average person would choose to live next to. 

I'd been away for a few days visiting a friend in Bournemouth, and on my return discovered a huge muck heap had been created within meters of my bedroom window, which was then added to each day with more stable manure being thrown down onto it.  Old feed bags would also be tipped there.  This was going to become a nuisance during the hot weather as it was going to encourage flies and I would no longer be able to open my bedroom window.  Were they doing this on purpose too.   Burning tyres at night was becoming common place and on a couple of occasions I had to rescue my horse from her stable as it filled with acrid smoke.   The shed used as a workshop seemed to be in operation every weekend and was being used by welders now.  Maybe they were hiring it out?  I began to feel now that they were actually intentionally trying to drive us out as they had with the previous owners.   

Karen Thomas had remained perfectly friendly but not so, Andrew Thomas
I was beginning to suspect that Mr. Canning or someone from the council, was telling them that I had been in contact with them.

Walking around the back of our barn one sunny morning, and up towards our top field, my heart sank as I couldn't help but notice that the row of trees at the bottom of the very steep bank bordering part of our land with the neighbours had had rows of barbed wire wrapped around each and every one.  The mere sight of it was aggressive and left me feeling quite sick, wondering if this was a message to me in the same way as the Thomases had intimidated Ann Gifford by tying scrap into the trees near the stables, and had erected fencing around the cottage to intimidate Mr. and Mrs. L.   I do believe the neighbours must know that I have been speaking to the council about them.

Mr. Canning was proving to be difficult to communicate with and had made it perfectly obvious he was not taking my concerns seriously and wasn't going to investigate the neighbours activities.  I didn't know what to do.  It was not an option for me to speak to the neighbours, nor was their unauthorised business my responsibility.  There was only one thing I could do now, and that was to meet with my M.P.




   

May 04.......... Conveyance and Mr. Canning


In the very short time we had been living here, as opposed to feeling happy with our new home, I was feeling unsettled and troubled over the revelations regarding my neighbours and their operations at Blaenpant.  Evenings and weekends were particularly bad having to listen to power hosing, maintenance, changing wheels and tyres.  Saturdays and Sundays were just another work day as far as our neighbours were concerned.

The noise from quarrying was particularly awful.  It seemed that the quarrying was to make room for the shed the Thomases wanted.   As Ann Gifford had said this site was SSSI, surely this shouldn't have been allowed anyway, without permissions from Countryside Council for Wales. ( then became Natural Resources Wales).   Ceri Davies and my local councillor Rhys Davies were reassuring me that this shed was going to be refused, because it was applied for as an 'agricultural shed' and the Thomases were 'not farming'.

I was also being advised that the equine business, being commercial, required planning permissions and  'change of use' as well as the haulage business, but the horses were no problem at all and were the least of our worries.

With our property being so close to theirs the disturbances from these industrial activities were very distressing, and it was also obvious there was going to be no consideration with regard to our quality of life.  Having already spoken to Mr. Brian Canning Enforcement Manager a couple of times, I was hoping things would have gone a bit quieter, but no such luck.    I rang Mr. Canning again.  He said they were entitled to keep one HGV but no more, but that monitoring hadn't been carried out yet due to lack of manpower. I explained that the numbers of lorries could be viewed evenings and at the weekends, from the road, all one had to do was to drive down the road to see them.  An officer could do that on his way home from work - maybe?  The same would apply with regard to the maintenance and other activities that were taking place evenings and weekends,  as it was all highly visible.  It was clear to see.   Mr. Canning said officers did not work outside normal working hours, therefore that would be difficult.  'How difficult would that have been'?  This didn't make any sense to me as we were clearly suffering, and we desperately needed the council's assistance.  I confessed to him that it was very difficult for me being here on my own for much of the time, and I wanted to stay on friendly terms with my neighbours for obvious reasons, but life was becoming intolerable.  I was feeling a little let down as clearly Mr. Canning was aware of the history here. I confided in him that as well as having to put up with noise during the day, the Thomases dogs (three rotties) barked on and off thru the night, disturbing my sleep, which only added to my unease about them, as it appeared unneighbourly. They might be used as guard dogs, but if they disturbed neighbours this was unacceptable.   Below is our conveyance - the same conveyance for our neighbours property - it reads.....................................'not to use the property hereby conveyed or any part thereof for any purpose which may be or grow to be a nuisance or annoyance or obnoxious to the owners or occupiers of the said adjoining properties'.

Conveyance for both holdings.

It appeared the council had still not investigated nor had they attempted to view the neighbours activities from the road, because had they done so I would not still be listening to lorries going out at six in the morning.  I rang Mr. Canning again.  He reiterated they did not have the resources at the moment to carry out a site visit and also informed me that 'Karen Bowen Haulage Services' had an operating centre at Tumble and this where they were working from. This wasn't true and was some revelation!  I reminded him that I was looking out onto a lorry park every day.  To be questioning my honesty at this stage, when the council were ware of the history here, raised huge question marks.  It sounded as though Mr. Canning was merely making excuses instead of dealing with what appeared to me, to be abuses of the system and indeed us.   I advised him of our conveyance which should have protected us - or so I thought.  I began to believe that Mr. Canning was fobbing me off.

The noise from machinery, cutting up metal, loading materials onto lorries, maintenance being carried out from the shed, carried on and the quarrying was a regular activity.   This was awful.  Noise noise noise every day of the week.  What were we living next door to?  I kept telling myself that the local authority would put a stop to it eventually.  The earth bank that Andrew Thomas was building, right opposite our bedroom window, the subject of the apology at Christmas time, was getting ever higher. I noticed concrete mixing lorries entering this area, presumably to lay areas for the parking of more lorries. 

We were continuing with our plans for a cattery and to have the barn converted into holiday accommodation, altho by now I had serious doubts over the holiday accommodation.  We'd had the plans drawn up for the cattery, and had meetings with the tourist board who were going to allow us a grant toward the conversion of our barn.

The maintenance on vehicles continued over entire weekends.  My concerns that the council did not seem to be investigating didn't go away.  They also did not appear to be taking into account how this business impacted upon us.  I didn't know what to do.  I couldn't understand how the neighbours were being allowed to continue when the council were aware of this business.  A JCB constantly rumbling around within meters of us, actually caused reverberations in our cottage, due to us being at a lower level.   My heart would sink most mornings when I heard the lorries start up, as I knew the noise wouldn't stop until evening.  The pleasure of implementing our plans was replaced by worry about our quality of life here.  If our searches had exposed an industrial business at Blaenpant we would never have bought this property. They were clearly developing Blaenpant, but into what?

Eddie suggested that we might speak to the neighbours as he felt they mightn't understand just how disturbing it was for us.  I reminded him of the conversation we'd had with them and their hatred of Ann Gifford and the family before her.  I reminded him what they had done to them because they had complained.  This was not a good idea.  The message they conveyed to us was perfectly clear. They were not people to cross.

We even began thinking about selling, but how difficult would that be and what excuse would we give to potential buyers as to the reasons we too were selling so soon after having bought this very pretty place.   I didn't know what to do.  We did try to carry on with our plans and had a firm to replace the rotting fencing, and employed a contractor to clear the old fruit garden and to arrange tiered areas in readiness for a vegetable plot.

Potential vegetable garden

 F.O.I.


A friend had been advised that under Freedom of Information, which was a pretty new thing, I would be entitled to view the local authorities file on the neighbouring farm.  Having made my request, and having been given an appointment, we went to the council offices where we were shown into a room and a file was duly produced for our perusal.

We were stunned, as on file were many complaints from various local people including the Community Council about our neighbours and their activities.  There were photographs of lorries.  There were internal emails from one officer to another.  There were logs of lorry movements.  Logs of quarrying and power hosing.  Letters about maintenance on vehicles - in fact all the disturbances I had conveyed to Brian Canning, others had already informed the council of.  There were letters from the family who had lived here for twenty six years, who had sold to Ann Gifford, letters from Mr. B a retired engineer, and from Mrs. R.  and Mr. M/ R  and a local councillor.    The letters from Mr. L were particularly worrying, as he wrote informing the council about some very serious threats made to him.  That he'd been approached very aggressively and  threatened, that the Thomases had also said they would change his right of way to make life very difficult if he didn't stop with his complaints to the council.   This all fitted in with why Ann Gifford was in such a hurry to sell and move.  Why then were the council not addressing my concerns as they clearly already knew the farm was being used for haulage and were aware of threats and intimidation.  What's more, why were they seemingly denying that my concerns were not warranted, nor in fact even true.

An even more disturbing e.mail we discovered was from my neighbour Karen Thomas to one of the enforcement officers.   She was informing him that she had rung Lewes District Council (dept. that licenced taxis) and had told them that Eddie was using his taxi in Carmarthen??  This was dated April 2004, very recent.  A outlandish lie. This was unbelievable and so shocking.  Why would my neighbour who was being so friendly to me lie about Eddie to another authority?  Why? Surely Mr. Canning hadn't told her about my phone calls to him!  This was exceedingly disturbing!

I asked for a copy of this file and the council obliged.  I decided to contact the people who had written these letters.  When I rang Mrs. L she told me they had lived here for twenty six years, happily, but since the hauliers had bought Blaenpant, their lives had been ruined.  They'd had many rows with them over their activities.  She said that they allowed their dogs to bark throughout the night, that the council were being obstructive, and their  lives had been made hell by these people. They sold to Ann Gifford, and had been honest in telling her that the neighbours had a few lorries.  I then rang Mr. B another concerned resident, who lived nearby.  He told me that our neighbours were dreadful people, ( something I was now aware of ) that they were bullies, that they had driven others out, and even more frightening, that he had also been seriously threatened by our neighbours over his complaints, when he was approached by them on a petrol forecourt.  Andrew Thomas had pushed his face up to his and told him to stop making complaints or else......... He told me they would park their vehicle at the top of his drive and stare down at their home to intimidate!  This was horrifying news, especially as I was living here on my own. There was a clear pattern of intimidating behaviour emerging,  and were we to be next?

Threats and intimidation seemed to be the accepted practice of the Thomases when neighbours complained to the council about their activities - the same activities the council were fully aware of.  The same activities that were causing misery and distress to others who were unfortunate to be neighbours. The same activities they clearly shouldn't have been conducting from a 'farm' without planning permissions.

When I had been putting my concerns to Brian Canning about the problems I was facing, little did I know then that I had not been the first, and that he was already aware of the many other complaints from previous owners. 

Why wasn't Mr. Canning taking my concerns seriously - why wasn't he addressing the obvious haulage business and the many other activities associated with it? As we had to apply for planning permission for our cattery, why weren't the council requesting planning permissions for the two businesses at Blaenpant.

April/May 04..............Contacting the Council



Being on my own with Eddie working and living in Sussex, plus the constant noise from Blaenpant's haulage business activities, I was left feeling a little vulnerable.  The daily commotion emanating from next door was beginning to affect my desire to spend time outside. I have always been a person who preferred being outside more than in, and I had many tasks that needed tending to. I have always loved gardening and with the weather improving I was looking forward to creating an area for growing vegetables.  I was feeling very let down by Ms. Gifford, as she clearly knew the very reasons which had forced her to sell up were going to affect us in the same way.  I knew by now that I (as others before me) would find this daily disturbance to my life intolerable if it was to become permanent.  If this particular industrial type of business was allowed to continue, this was going to affect every aspect of our daily lives and would be miserable.   We had bought a cottage in the countryside for peace and enjoyment - to enjoy - not to be listening to, and looking out onto, industrial operations.   Our pre-purchase searches showed Blaenpant to be a farm, there was no disclosure of an industrial business.  Our seller had told us the owners of Blaenpant did not farm but were horse breeders.  That was true at least, there was no sign of any farming, only an equine business and a haulage business!.   One would only expect this type of industrial activity on an industrial park. The noise from the neighbours would most certainly affect our plans for the barn conversion into two holiday lets.    As the days drew out, the noise went on for longer periods.

The neighbours horses, of which there were many, were somehow still managing to escape from their paddock onto my land time and again.  I felt this was odd as the paddock which separated our two properties was extremely well fenced with solid post and rail which looked to be new.  After it happening once, one would expect the broken fence or whatever the problem was, would be immediately rectified.  It clearly wasn't, and the Thomases, as I will now call them, would just walk onto my property to collect them, without knocking on my door or calling out to me!  This was an added worry, because having been around horses for a number of years, to allow horses to keep escaping is irresponsible and not the norm.  It also concerned me that the Thomases appeared to be taking advantage of someone living on their own by not addressing the problem with their fencing.  Something was telling me that this might be deliberate, but I couldn't fathom out why this would be.  I was beginning to feel a little paranoid regarding this, as to locate and repair an area of broken fence would be a simple excercise.  I remember one night in particular, it was late, I was in bed, alone in the cottage, when I heard voices outside.  It was the neighbours from next door, again, collecting their horses.  This was feeling pretty alarming now, especially as they knew I was on my own, and would know this would be scary for most people, hearing strange voices on their property, particularly at night.

Friends were keeping me company and helping with the outside chores which would have been far more enjoyable if it was minus the din from next door.  The old, supposed, disused quarry, now seemed to be the focus of the neighbours activities, with rock being cleared away in earnest.  A JCB with a pecker was being used at the weekends and the din was unbearable. Their lorries would be loaded up and driven away.

However, with friends and the council's own planning officer advising me to contact the local authority, I thought maybe it was time to speak to them.  I rang Brian Canning, the Enforcement Manager and asked if this could be off the record.   I informed him that I had been told by two officers, one from Carmarthen Council and another from Countryside Council for Wales, that due to this haulage business next door, two families had been forced to move away from here, and I didn't wish to be the third.   I explained that the impact from this business upon this property was impossible to live with, and it was not surprising problems had occurred here.  As there were at least eight lorries operating from the farm, and other activities associated with the haulage business, it was seriously impacting upon our quality of life too.  By this time I'd heard more about Blaenpant and that what they were doing was wrong. I'd also heard that if someone uses a farm for anything other than agriculture, they must apply for 'change of use'.   All of this was new to me.
I believed that as the council were aware of the history of the problems here, they would act upon this information.  Mr. Canning said they did not have permission to be running a haulage business, and that he would certainly look into it.  I felt relieved that I had passed on my concerns and I could relax in the knowledge the council would now deal with it.  It was out of my hands.  I did not want to make enemies of my neighbours, and I did not want to confront them, as the two previous owners of our cottage had done. I was on my own and aware of what they had suffered.   I believed the council would now take on the responsibility.   It was not for me to become embroiled in a neighbours unauthorised business, this was for the council to resolve.

 

A few weeks had passed, nothing had changed, and I'd heard nothing from the council.  I spoke to Brian Canning again, telling him I was concerned about my neighbour knowing I had complained, so I hoped my phone calls would be in the strictest confidence.  He said they would have to monitor Blaenpant but hadn't found the time as yet. I'm remembering our conversation with the Thomases and their subtle (or not so subtle) warnings about 'complaining' and my feeling of unease was growing.

Not a good outlook

To add to my worries the Thomases had put in their application for a shed, and when I looked at the plans it was directly opposite and within forty meters of our small cottage!  The size would be overbearing and would tower over us.  I contacted Ceri Davies regarding this application, to be advised again by him, 'not to worry', 'they will not get permission'.  He was the officer responsible for this area and he would most certainly not be recommending this for approval!  He went on to say that in his opinion, they were getting inside information as they had applied for the largest shed possible they would be entitled to, that is, if they were given permission. Mr. Davies was adamant they would not get permission as they were not agricultural, and this was an agricultural shed, that his appraisal had covered every aspect in it's refusal.  I expressed my deep concerns, and that I really didn't want to have to put in an objection.   He put my mind at rest when he added that 'even if they put a flock of sheep on their land it would not make any difference as the council knew what they were doing'.  Thank god!

The plans were now being drawn up for the cattery and we were pressing ahead with that side of things. Still trying to be positive believing that the council would in time resolve our seemingly  growing problem.  I also decided to contact my local councillor Mr. Rhys Davies for if nothing else, moral support.

Late March 04................Not again

We were having the plans drawn up for the cattery and had arranged meetings with Business Eye and Prime Cymru relative to a possible grant for the barn conversion.  I was feeling quite excited about our new projects.    I hadn't unpacked properly yet as I wanted to get our plans under way first, there would be plenty of time for that.

Eddie was coming back every second weekend, but the disturbances from our neighbours wasn't abating, and he could hear for himself the commotion. One particular weekend, upon returning home, the neighbours who were working around their stable area, waved us down.  We drove down onto their yard, and they took us into their portacabin which had been set up as an office, evident from the computer, desk, filing cabinets and much other office paraphernalia. This was clearly the office for their haulage and equine business with several lorries visible with KBHS livery plus others of a different description alongside them.  There were several horses in the stables, a converted agricultural building, and several more living out in their field across from us.

They introduced themselves as Karen and Andrew.  Karen came across as very friendly and confident. Karen told us that they ran a few lorries and that she used to drive one of their trucks when she first started her business  Andrew came across as quite an intimidating, angry and overpowering character with an obvious fiery temper.  Although it was a friendly exchange between us, it became obvious that the purpose of this introduction was to inform us of their thorough dislike of Ann Gifford and the former occupiers of our property.  The previous owner to Ms. Gifford had lived here for twenty six years.  Having said that they bred horses and that Andrews hobby was 'lorries', (were all these lorries Andrew's hobby I asked myself?)  the conversation quickly changed again to revolve around the dislike of both former owners of our property. There seemed to be a purpose in their need to make us aware of the problems they had had with them. Hardly a conversation on a first meeting with ones neighbours.   Ms. Gifford, (according to them) had been a 'complainer'.  'She had constantly complained about their lorries according to them, and the noise they were making'.  'She would drive in and out several times a day, and it aggravated Andrew' - to the point he began swearing when telling us about it. (She was a home visiting chiropodist).  I was shocked that these people would be that observant as to notice how many times their neighbour went out, and even more alarmed that it should make them so angry.  'What business was it of theirs how many times Anne Gifford went out' and how was it interfering with them'?  This was disconcerting! Andrew told us that he was furious with Ann Gifford on one particular  occasion when she asked him to please stop the noise as it was not only a Sunday but also 'Mother's Day'!. This apparently, really made him see red.  He described in very colourful language,  how he had told her in no uncertain terms to 'f......off, mind her own business, what he did on his own land was no business of hers, if she didn't like it to f....... move etc etc'.  (Oh God!)  Inwardly I was feeling very uncomfortable at listening to this and questioning in my mind just what had taken place here, and what was the real reason Ann Gifford had sold up so soon after having moved in?   It raced through my mind that she had sold up so quickly because of them, the neighbours! (Ann Gifford was here for eight months before putting this property back on the market)
I explained that Ann Gifford had told us that she had been forced to sell this cottage as she had broken up with her partner shortly after moving here and couldn't afford the upkeep on her own. They both laughed, and said that was not true, it was because she didn't like them and what they were doing!  According to them, she had moved here with her daughter. 

Latest view from my bedroom window - Andrews Hobbies?

They then got onto the subject of Mr. and Mrs. A who had lived here for twenty six years, who sold to Ann Gifford.   Apparently they complained as well.  They hated them as well.  There were many rows between the two couples as well.  It was pointed out to us by Karen Bowen that because of her hatred of them she had erected the 6ft. high fence around the cottage so as to not be able to see them or hear them!  By the time we left their office (portacabin) I was feeling exceedingly concerned at their attitude and intimidation of two families.  I felt this meeting was orchestrated to be a warning to us, to make us afraid of them.  I came away feeling just that - very wary of them. I believed they were sending us a very clear message, and we were left with the feeling that A.Thomas had the propensity to be an extremely nasty character who one would not want to cross!

Karen Bowen's high fence

One very early morning,  I looked out of the window as I heard a lot of whinnying, to discover horses running around on my land. Minnie was getting very upset at strange horses being in her space.  
The fencing where they had clearly entered through was completely flattened to the ground.  I rang my neighbour to ask if these were her horses.  She said they were and that she would come down straight away and collect them.  I asked her if they had escaped onto our property before. I was surprised when she simply answered nonchalantly, yes, with no apology for the lack of explanation at that time, nor any apology for the wrecked fencing. I remembered our conversation about the previous owners 'complaining' and the retaliation that followed, so felt it was best not to mention the damage to my fencing. 

Blaenpant Coloureds

We had to deal with the septic tank now as it was causing us major problems.  Karen had informed me that Ann Gifford knew the tank needed replacing as it was being emptied every month.  She had offered to write a letter saying as much, so that in the event of us having to pursue any legal actions over this matter, this might be helpful.

Having contacted Ann Gifford to explain the problems we were experiencing with the septic tank, I mentioned during this conversation how upset I was at the noise here, that a lorry business was operating from next door, and was not something I had been prepared for nor had she mentioned this to us.   Her only comment regarding this, was that 'they shouldn't be running lorries from there as the site was a SSSI site', which I later discovered to be a Site of Special Scientific Interest!

I had tried to put aside my worries and fears and get on with our plans for the cattery and barn conversion, when I had another visitor out of the blue.  This lady was a rep from  'The Country Landowners Association'. (CLA). She had called to ask if we would like to join her organisation as she had heard we had recently bought this holding.   I dithered a bit and said I would consider it.  She went on to say that it might be prudent if we did because of the problems the people next to us had been causing with previous owners!!.  It would seem that everyone and his dog knew of the troubles here except us!! What had we moved into???

I really didn't want to speak to the council, but obviously as they were aware of the problems that my neighbours had caused to others, and because they knew of the types of activities they were into, I felt they would be sympathetic and would help us with the situation we were facing.  I decided to take Mr. Davies's advice and sooner rather than later speak to Mr. Canning.......................