Scottish Independent Media

By Claire Elliot

WHEN Mary Edwards bought her home, she instantly fell in love with its Victorian-style “Secret Garden”.

 The 16ft pink granite walls that border the historic grounds even inspired her to name the house Misselthwaite, after the manor in the classic children’s tale.

And for the last six years it has offered a place for her two disabled children to play safely.
 

But, today she claimed that “underhand” nursing home bosses were threatening to tear down one of the centuries-old walls, to make way for an eight-bedroom extension next door.
 

Mrs Edwards, from Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, bought her B-listed property, which lies in a conservation area, with the understanding that she was a mutual owner of all the walls
 

The Argus Care Group, which owns the neighbouring Wyndwell Care Home, however, argues that the wall bordering both properties, belongs solely to them.

And engineers working on their behalf claim it needs to come down as “ground disturbance” resulting from the already approved extension work, would “undermine” the wall.
 

The plan is to replace it with a 6ft wooden fence.
 

Mrs Edwards, 46, who has eight children aged from seven to 25, said: “They have been really sneaky and underhand.
 

“Their original application for an extension made no mention of removing the wall.
 

“The first I knew of it was when someone came to my door about three weeks ago and said the wall was being

knocked down
 

“They only applied for planning permission after I got in touch with my solicitor.
 

“I was absolutely horrified and couldn’t sleep for a week.”
 

The historic wall, which is adorned with climbing ivy, is at least 140-years-old, and has helped provide a safe-haven for Mrs Edwards’ children, two of whom are disabled.

 It has also offered a place to home-educate the youngsters, who have a classroom based within the grounds.
 

But she fears all that will be lost if the wall is demolished, as her garden is raised four feet higher than that of the neighbouring care home.

 “It doesn’t bare thinking about,” she said.
 

“I’ve got two disabled children who can’t go out and play in the street and for them this is perfect. It’s totally safe.
 

“I bought the house believing all of the walls were my boundaries.
 

“I’d be so disappointed if they pulled it down that I wouldn’t want to live here any more.
 

“I love the garden. It’s why I bought the house and I called it Misseltwaite because it got a secret garden.
 

“We’re in the middle of Peterhead, the sea is only a few yards away but you’d think you were in the middle of the countryside.
 

“I’ve got chickens and everything in here.
 

“The whole property is oozing with history and to spoil any part of it would be a real shame,” she added.

The care home owners claim the wall once formed part of buildings that once existed on their side and therefore belongs to them.
 

Following correspondence from their solicitor, a letter to Mrs Edwards from her solicitor read: “They have indicated that the wall is the remains of three buildings which ‘appear’ to have been wholly erected on their clients property.
 

“They are taking the view that the wall is, therefore, their clients whole property.”
 

But residents, who grew up in the area, claim the buildings that were there were made from brick, not granite like the boundary wall.
 

And Mrs Edwards refuted any suggestion that the ground disturbance would cause the wall, which is almost two feet thick, to collapse.
 

She said a structural survey carried out when she bought her property revealed no dangers with the walls.
 

She said if she had the money she would confidently take legal action against the firm and win.

 But she said: “I can’t afford to take it to court to prove it’s mine. I believe I would win. But with eight children, I can’t take the chance.”
 

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s always been the case that the people here are responsible for each side of the wall.

“They don’t have to take it down to do the work. If they say they can’t do it without undermining the wall, then they can underpin it.
 

“They shouldn’t be allowed to knock it down. It‘s just a cheapskate option”
 

The application for the demolition of the wall is still to be decided by Aberdeenshire Council.

 But a spokesman for Argus Care Group today said it was their wall and it would be coming down next month.
 

He said they were following the advice of engineers and that it was being demolished on “health and safety” grounds.
 

He added: "It will be coming down the week commencing June 15.
 

“I don’t know what this is all about. No one can see the wall from any road."

Asked why the demolition was not included in the previous planning application, he said: “We don’t need consent."
 

“It’s my wall and I’m knocking it down," he added.

The application, which was submitted to Aberdenshire Council on April 22, however, has already received 22 representations since it was lodged.

The deadline for public comments is June 1.