A neglected property in Patcham is being tidied up and repaired by the council after court action failed to prompt the owner to put things right.
The garden of the property – in Dale Crescent – was so overgrown that the greenery almost reached the roof.
And the house hidden behind the shrubbery had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Brighton and Hove City Council issued a formal notice to homeowner Ronald Robbins last November asking him to cut back the plants and improve the condition of his property.
After the notice was ignored the council took Mr Robbins to court in December. The council said that Mr Robbins had since continued to ignore requests to remedy the situation.
It added that during the spring the foliage in the garden had continued to grow and formed a dense thicket around the property.
Martin Randall, the council’s head of planning and public protection, said: “It is disappointing that we have had to step in and carry out work to the property.
“Our officers spend a lot of time contacting the owners of such properties and in most cases manage to persuade them to carry out work without the need for formal action.
“We were left with no alternative in this case and are taking action for the sake of neighbours and to fulfil our commitment to improve the character and appearance of residential areas.”
The council has the power to take enforcement action when the amenity of an area is adversely affected by the condition of neighbouring land or buildings.
If requests to make improvements are ignored, the council may carry out the work and recover the cost from the owner.
