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Will Bouquet fears his two-year-old son will be kept up all night by revellers in the new garden which has been built just metres from his house. Harrow Council granted The Castle, in Harrow-on-the-Hill, west London, permission to build two garden pergolas in November 2021, but Mr Bouquet says this should not have happened.

He said the council did not fully appreciate where the new building would be and the impact this would have on neighbours, My London reports.

Mr Bouquet said the pergolas will disturb his daily life and is particularly concerned about the effect it will have on his son Sam, two, whose bedroom is closest to the garden.

He said: “I care a lot about this area. I care about the trees that have been cut down but you also need to think about the immediate impact it will have on local residents.

“People might say ‘well you chose to live near a pub’ but it was fine before. Now it will be like living in a beer garden. This is much closer, we’ve lost the buffer and the thing is huge.

“My son’s bedroom is closest to the pergolas and we’re really concerned that he’s not going to be able to sleep.”

Harrow Council, controlled by Labour, said the pub’s plans were “poorly drafted” and there was no reference to the manager’s garden, which is where the pergolas have been built.

It has acknowledged that trees were removed and has sent an “informal warning letter” instructing the pub to plant replacement ones in “an appropriate location”.

Mr Bouquet said the fact the council has taken action shows that it is unlikely that planning permission would have been granted if it had fully understood the application.

He added: “Something has gone very wrong here. The council said it misunderstood the plans.

“They’ve admitted they’ve made a mistake and they’re trying to cover their tracks by saying they would have granted permission [in its current form] anyway.”

He has called on the council and the pub to work with the local community and take a common sense approach to the situation.

The father said the current set up is “lose, lose, lose” as the council has been embarrassed, residents will be disturbed and the pub is opening itself up to noise complaints.

Mr Bouquet said: “Everyone sympathises with pubs and how they’ve been hit by Covid, but you have to think about local people as well.

“The pub is now at risk of making enemies with its neighbours. Why can’t we just move it back to how it was and all live in harmony?”

A Harrow Council spokesperson said: “After visiting the site to investigate, Harrow Council considers that the pergola is acceptable in its location in planning terms and is in line with the government agenda to support the hospitality industry and encourage the use of outdoor spaces.

“The trees that were removed were below the standard required for protection from a Tree Preservation Order.

“Notwithstanding this, Harrow Council is seeking replacement trees of an appropriate size and siting to replace those that were removed.”

The Castle pub has been contacted for comment.

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