Derbyshire council fined £50k after blocking 81-year-old's garden access

Helene Ball, an 81-year-old retired teacher, has won a court battle against Derbyshire County Council after workers cemented a metal fence panel across a 3ft gap in the rear wall of her Matlock property in April 2023, blocking the gate that had provided access to her garden for years. Ball successfully proved the gate had been in use since the 1960s, establishing a right of way, and a first-tier tribunal ordered the council to pay £50,000 in costs. Here's how the dispute unfolded, and what Ball had to say about her three-year fight.How the council blocked Helene Ball's garden accessIn April 2023, Derbyshire County Council workers cemented a metal fence panel across a 3ft gap in the rear wall of Ball's Matlock property, blocking a gate she had relied on for garden access. While the wire fence itself was removed within a year, vehicle access to the street remained blocked throughout the entire legal process that followed, leaving Ball without full use of her property for years while the dispute worked its way through the system. The council has since created a new route for Ball through the site, which is currently up for sale as a small housing development.Helene Ball's fight to pro...