RESIDENTS of Wallisdown are upset after being told to remove personal items from the communal garden outside their flats.

Downey Close residents were asked to get rid of their plant pots, fencing, benches, and other items in a letter from Bournemouth council.

It follows a “large number of complaints” from other residents complaining some of their neighbours have been “taking over” the garden.

However Jen is one of those angered by the decision.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, she said “vulnerable people” living in Downey Close “who have done no wrong” are being “punished because other residents elsewhere in the street are having petty disagreements”.

“One resident is in his seventies and has lived here for 20 years,” she said.

“He is disabled after a stroke and his pride and joy is tending to his garden, planting herbs to cook with and watching the birds make use of his bird feeders and bird table.

“His space in the communal garden is one of the only things to enrich his life. I have just witnessed him struggling to pull his garden apart and getting rid of the things he has nurtured from seed.”

In a letter sent to residents on September 11, a council housing officer informed them that any personal items left in the garden after Friday would be removed, and it would cost £25 per item to retrieve them.

However, when the Daily Echo contacted the council for a statement, Seamus Doran, tenancy services manager said: “A letter to residents of Downey Close was sent following complaints received about the use of the communal garden.

“We recognise that this letter did not explain the situation fully, and would like to apologise for any distress that was caused.

“The communal garden is for all residents to share. We want everyone to enjoy using it and do not object to a few potted plants to make the area more pleasant.

“However, this is not a private area for individual residents to use how they wish and the number of items placed in some parts of the garden has become excessive. This has created some health and safety hazards and is making it difficult for our gardeners to cut the grass. It has also resulted in some disputes between neighbours.

“We will write to residents again to clarify the situation and to inform them that we will postpone any action to remove items,” he added.

Jen, a counsellor who has lived in Downey Close for over three years, said it was “frankly disgusting what the council have done”.

“I am a counsellor and I know the importance of people being able to have things like gardening to do to maintain good mental health,” she said.

“Other residents have lived in these properties for many years. A few who have mild-severe mental health problems/disabilities find having some space in the garden to spend time in nature and have something to look after helps them feel slightly better.”

“Sending the letter on a Friday also meant no-one was able to contact [the council] to clarify anything and got upset and panicked over the weekend. Unnecessary and cruel actions,” she added.