LEGAL action may be taken to ensure restoration of a park hedge that has been at the heart of a planning row.

Last November, a planning appeal was won to build a three-bedroom house at land next to 41, Red Lion Lane, in Overton, after the borough council refused permission.

The site has been the subject of a long-standing battle because the approved plans encroach on to the borough council-owned Edward Kersley Playing Field and as a preliminary, a hedge was dug out. The field is leased to the parish council.

In November last year, the borough council told The Gazette a request had been made to the land- owner to reinstate the hedge.

But Overton Parish Council has complained that still no enforcement action has been taken against the applicant.

At a meeting of Overton Parish Council, Councillor Brian Langer said: “The borough has a responsibility to take enforcement action and look after their own property and they are not doing that.”

The borough council confirmed that in their view, the developer has dug out the council’s land and removed a bank with hedges.

Dorcas Bunton, corporate director, said: “Our property, legal and planning enforcement teams have been working to try to resolve the issue with the developer. As landowner, we have requested a retaining wall be built along the correct boundary line and that the developer must reinstate the bank, including landscaping of hedges, trees and fencing as they were before.

“There is a site meeting this week to try to sort out the dispute. If we cannot come to an amicable agreement then the council may be forced to take legal action.”

Overton developers SJ Smith & Son said in a statement that the land adjoining the playing field was theirs and they have co-operated with the borough council but have not yet received a specific request about “boundary treatment”. The statement added: “It therefore comes as something of a surprise that such a statement of non-compliance has been made against SJ Smith & Son.”

The company said interested parties can look on the internet images available from Google to draw their own conclusions about the boundary and how it was before the development. The developers said they were waiting for a response from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

They added: “It is hoped that what was a neglected area of the playing field can be improved.”