Furious locals slam neighbour for ‘illegal treehouse’ which overlooks their homes and rebuke council for ‘doing nothing’
Residents in a suburban Scottish town are demanding the removal of an illegal treehouse that has sparked a bitter neighbourhood dispute.
The wooden structure, built by Michael Cairns in his back garden in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, has drawn fierce criticism from nearby homeowners who claim it violates their privacy.
Dr Dennis Jackson, whose property is directly affected by the controversial construction, has accused East Renfrewshire Council of failing to address the situation effectively.
The treehouse, erected without planning permission four years ago, overlooks several properties in the upmarket street, where homes can fetch up to £600,000.
Neighbours report having to keep their bedroom blinds permanently closed due to the intrusive nature of the structure.
The situation particularly affects Jackson’s daughter, whose bedroom is directly overlooked by the treehouse.
“My daughter needs to keep her bedroom blinds closed constantly because you can see right into her room from the treehouse. It’s really not fair,” Jackson told MailOnline.
Despite claims from Cairns that the treehouse was built for his grandchildren, Jackson disputes this assertion.
“Michael said this was built for his grandchildren, but that’s nonsense – it’s been teenagers who have been using it,” he said.
Hitting back at the local council, he added: “They keep telling us that something will be done about it, but when? It’s four years too late. The council is gaslighting us and it’s not good enough.”
The dispute began when Cairns approached Jackson about trimming trees near their properties.
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“Michael knocked on our door one day and asked if it was okay to trim the tree a little because it was overgrown and he had safety concerns,” Jackson explained.
The Jacksons agreed, as they were unaware of Cairns’ treehouse plans.
“That wasn’t the reason he wanted to trim the tree, he was doing it to prepare the installation of that treehouse,” Jackson said.
Initial complaints to the council during the pandemic proved fruitless.
“I was told that because the council was on furlough nothing could be done about the treehouse,” Jackson added.
East Renfrewshire Council has ordered modifications to the controversial structure.
A council planning committee official stated: “My advice is that the proposed amendments would address overlooking.”
The modifications include blocking up the front door and creating a new door on the side of the structure.
However, Jackson remains unsatisfied with these proposed changes.
“Even if the changes recommended by the council are implemented, my daughter would still feel very uncomfortable. It needs to be taken down,” he insisted.
GB News has approached East Renfrewshire Council for a comment.