Good For Her.

[cassa333]

She doesn't even own it so a five figure sum to lose something you don't own would seem like a lottery win to some people. But she values her garden more so good for her I say.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-43277247

[Mamyalynne]

A two metre strip off that and the traffic would be at her window, well done Dolly.

[Jackdaw33]

At 97 she can't have much longer to go.

[Ken4155]

She's 97yo so i don't think a five figure sum would change her life for ever. And she probably didn't get to that grand old age by kpw-towing to anyone.

[Sqad]

She's 97......so probably not going to last much longer.
They only want 2 metres........no big deal.
They are offering a good price.

She is just being awkward.

[jourdain2]

I'm on the 'Good for her' side of the argument. There will be a lot of disruption anyway and it would be worse with bulldozers etc. just a very few feet from her front door. The council spokesman implies that they can manage with the existing access, so no problem.

[Deskdiary]

The article says she lives in a council property, so surely it's not within her gift to sell the land anyway.

[Mamyalynne]

No, she can't sell it but can give permission for them to remove it and compensate her - that is what she's refusing.

[bednobs]

the council want to sell the land, however the front garden forms part of her tenancy, and they cant alter the tenancy without her consent

[douglas9401]

I realise she may have some difficulties mobility and strength wise but there seems to be a redefining of 'garden' going on.

There's a look of returned to nature about it.

[jno]

It's the middle of winter, douglas. Nobody's garden looks its best right now.

[emmie]

good for her for not bowing to the big wigs, let them sort it out another way.

[Deskdiary]

Yes good for her for holding up the building of 49 much needed new homes for the sake of a tiny strip of land that doesn't even belong to her.

[tamborine]

She probably got free legal aid for her case. Easy fight if tax payers foot the bill.

[youngmafbog]

She is a council tenant so been assisted by the community for who knows how long now she is being awkward and preventing the building of 49 much needed homes.

Lets home the Governments new efforts to stop building issues and get new houses up sorts this sort of thing out too.

[Mamyalynne]

Not to worry, she'll soon be out of it and everyone else living there can have thundering traffic a few feet from their window.

Access when putting up new housing is always difficult and often ill thought through.

[Prudie]

I am on the fence on this one (well not her fence obviously) but deskdiary and youngmb make convincing points, after all it's never been her land in the first place. She is rather lucky to have stayed in the same council property for 50 years.

[bhg481]

No, she is not being awkward. She is 97 years old and has lived in the house for 50 years. Removing most of her front garden would be cruel and disrespectful of the old lady, who has the common sense to realise that a 5-figure sum in compensation is of no use to her at her age. She is NOT preventing the houses being built; she is just making them think a little more about access.

[vulcan42]

To those who are against this woman, would you like to live in a bungalow with vehicles going past two or three feet, possibly even less, from your front window?

[Prudie]

Thousands of people live with traffic going past their window, they build houses like that all the time - however they always did. Take a walk through some villages - many of the old cottages open right onto the pavement with no front garden at all.

[ummmm]

People choose to buy them knowing the traffic issues.