SIPPING a well-earned cup of tea in the front garden of her new three-bedroom-cottage in Lowestoft last May, Sam Lincoln felt at peace as she admired her summer blooms.
But it didn’t take long for the quiet of her home to be shattered.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Sam says: “I watched stunned as two dogs ran into my garden, through the flower beds and one cocked his leg on the new pot plants I’d just lovingly placed.
“I was even more flabbergasted when the owner of the dogs came tramping across my lawn to fetch them.”
Shortly after Sam, 54, says she was gobsmacked as she watched as a group of older teenagers, pushing and shoving each other, walked over her garden, onto her gravel driveway, kicking up rocks and making a mess before turning down the alleyway adjacent to her home.
The motivational trainer says: “We’d just paid £325,000 for our dream retirement home and instead of peace our beautiful little corner of the world had suddenly turned into Kings Cross at rush hour.”
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But worse was to come when the gran-of-seven, who lives with husband Nolan, 68, a retired picture editor, was getting ready for bed..
“The alleyway runs past our house and all night there was noise of people running up and down, shouting and screaming,” she says.
“Then at 5am cyclists were whizzing up the alleyway onto our garden.
“I soon realised why the pathway next to our dream cottage was nicknamed ‘aggro alley’.”
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When Sam and her husband bought the cute bungalow style property in May last year it was everything they wanted.
“We downsized to a three-bedroom house with room for the grandchildren to visit , we had a lovely rescue dog, and an enclosed back-garden.
“When we bought the house we knew there was a 200 metre alleyway which was a cut through from our street to another road.
“People used it instead of walking the extra two hundred metres either way to the roads at each end of our street.”
The alleyway entrance dog legged at the back of Sam’s driveway before straightening out.
“Most folks were respectful but some people insisted on effectively jaywalking into our garden or what would have been our driveway to save a few seconds,” Sam says.
“It was disrespectful and unnecessary.
“Dogs were let off leads to run into our garden and up and down the alleyway fouling everywhere and owners not picking up poo.
“Cyclists would shoot up the alleyway and burst into the drive and our garden at death defying speeds.
“I was almost knocked over while carrying in groceries”.
In 2020 a Good Move survey revealed a staggering two thirds (64%) have had arguments with their neighbours, with noise being their biggest bugbear, including music, loud parties and noisy children.
Shared boundary walls, overgrown trees and the garden fences as well as parking disputes were all high on the list of dispute causes.
In a bid to put an end to unwanted trespasses, Sam decided to take action.
The former B&B owner rang the council and planning officer and had officials visit and advise her what to do and to help with the escalating issue.
The couple had to spend £5000 on a skip and builder, a fence to protect their front garden, and a gate at the opening to the alleyway.
Little did Sam know but the gate was to become a major issue.
“I attached a nice note explaining the gate was designed to help people, slow down cyclists and asked everyone to work together and respect each other's property”, she says.
“Most people loved the idea, particularly those with children and elderly residents as it made them feel safer .
“I realised soon that you can't keep everyone happy all of the time and there was a group of folks who kicked off.
“We became the target for much verbal abuse, it was a real shame.”
The couple also installed surveillance cameras and as they now couldn't access their own garage renovated it into a utility room, seeing them spend more cash.
“We wanted to make our property secure but make the area safer for everyone,” Sam says.
“The people who hated our gate started filming building work, banging on the car and different people who didn't even live in the street just decided they didn't like having to open and shut a gate.
“I was scared and stressed when all I was trying to do was help the community.
According to Sam, the antisocial behaviour got so bad she was forced to nail the gate shut fearful for her property and safety.
“It was awful but I was at my wits end,” she says, “It may not have been the best decision but I just felt so unsafe.”
Sam, who had constantly liaised with the council, invited them out again for advice.
“I wanted everything in writing and to have their input,” she says.
“I have to say most people think council inspectors are awful but ours were amazing and in a dispute if you work with them you get a good result.”
According to Sam the planning team visited and told her to take down the gate.
She then submitted new drawings which included her suggestion of protective fretwork replacing the gate which the council agreed was a better alternative.
“I wanted to keep our property safe, work with the council and prevent any more ‘aggro alley’ gate issues.
“I spent £500 on sage green fretwork and it looks amazing,
“It replaces the gate only on our border.
“It was worth me forking out.
“It meant no more noise from gates opening and shutting at night time but it kept us safe too,” Sam says.
The planning team suggested Sam remove the gate and put up another £500 worth of protective fretwork fencing to keep her property safe, and still act as a way of slowing people down.
“It meant no more noise from gates opening and shutting at night time but it kept us safe too,” Sam says.
All together the retiree spent a staggering £5,500 in an effort to stop people using her garden as a cut through and to keep other residents safe.
But that apparently wasn't sufficient for a small handful of people against the change.
“We had to spend three hours at the local police station when someone complained our changes, council approved mind you, was harassment. It was so silly,” she says.
Now 17 months since her battle with the alleyway began, Sam is hopeful her neighbourhood dispute is over.
“There are so many locals who love what we have done and we’ve had cards and letters praising us for spending the money to make the alleyway entrance safe,” Sam says.
“I now consider myself an expert in neighbourhood disputes.
After visiting Sam’s end of aggro alley way in May council and rights of way officers confirmed they were happy with the new arrangements.
In a letter dated May 2023 the council said:
“Following the site inspection carried out by myself and Geoff Wilkinson- Area Rights of Way Officer, on Friday 7th July , we are satisfied that the obstruction outlined in the enforcement notice dated May 22 2023 have been removed. And the path is now clear and unobstructed for us by the public.
In that letter the council also confirmed that after Sam’s requests the council would:
“….arrange for a new footpath sign to be erected…. plus a wayward post part way long, which will have a ‘no cycling’ sign attached.
Officials then thanked Sam for allowing a post on her property to be used for a council sign.
The officials said: “Thank you for your agreement to use this existing post.”
The Council again wrote to the Lincolns on August 2 2023 confirming the matter was now resolved regarding aggro alley and the gate.
They wrote “Provided the path remains open for unobstructed use by the public the concerns of the council as highway authority will have been addressed.”
“My advice is to talk to your council,” says Sam, “Ignore the bullies who don't like change and do what's best for your community.
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“I admit I still feel anxious but knowing I helped the community despite having to fork out from our pension fund is amazing.
“Hopefully now ‘aggro alley’ will become the ‘perfect path’ and everyone can get along.”
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