Council asks couple to take plants down from balcony

Derek and Julie Lee have lived in the property for 36 years

A couple have said they are "heartbroken" after receiving a letter from a council asking them to remove plants from their balcony.

Derek and Julie Lee, from Maryland Court in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, said they had displayed baskets of flowers, hanging baskets and other plants on their balcony for more than 20 years.

"We've had people from all over the estate comment on how pretty the balcony is and it lifts your heart," Mr Lee said. "And now you look at it now, it's heartbreaking."

Broxtowe Borough Council, which sent the letter, said it could not comment on individual cases but added it had a legal responsibility to ensure communal areas such as balconies were "safe from hazards".

Mr Lee said "all the hard work we've done for 20 years is all in the wheelie bin"

Mr Lee, 71, said: "My wife and I received a letter on Monday from Broxtowe Borough Council telling me that all the flowers that we've grown and put around this balcony have all got to be moved by Wednesday.

"I'm not happy. If you look at it now, there's absolutely nothing here to interest anybody. It doesn't lift your wellbeing at all.

"It gave us a purpose. It really did give you a purpose. You come out here and you've got something to do, and you've got pride in what you was doing."

Mrs Lee said the balcony was now "just grey and drab, and that's what we've got to live with"

Mrs Lee said she was "gobsmacked" to receive the letter.

"We don't understand why you can say a plant or a hanging basket is a fire hazard.

"That does not make sense to me when they've been here all these years."

The borough council statement said: "In line with fire risk assessments that are conducted on our blocks, we have a legal responsibility to ensure that communal areas such as stairwells, landings and balconies are safe from hazards.

"This includes bicycles, doormats, prams, pushchairs, plants, furniture etc.

"If items are placed in communal areas or on paths that are escape routes, we will request that they are removed, as they could cause a fire safety hazard."