Family given one week to remove trampoline from communal garden

Tracey Hope's son Cole Hendry plays on the trampoline. Picture: Ian Georgeson

They have a week to take the apparatus down after residents in the Sighthill housing block raised concerns about its size as well as noise and verbal abuse from some of the children  using it.

Tracey Hope, who bought the 12ft play equipment for her six-year-old son, Cole Hendry, said the Sighthill Primary pupil would be “devastated” by the loss of the trampoline.

City council chiefs have confirmed that, if Ms Hope refuses to comply with their order, they have the power to remove the trampoline themselves because they own the land.

She said: “Cole was sobbing the other day because we have to have it removed. He was inconsolable. He kept saying ‘Why are they doing this mummy? Everyone else is allowed to keep their trampoline.’ He gets so much enjoyment out of it. It’s great because I’m able to monitor him out of the window and it is healthy, outdoor fun which is keeping him active.”

The Revenue and Customs worker insisted that she sought permission from neighbours before paying more than £140 for the play equipment and said they were initially “happy” with the idea.

It was only after the trampoline arrived, she said, that objections were raised by one resident who had been “shocked” by its size and proximity to her window.

Ms Hope admitted that the apparatus looked bigger than expected and had proved popular with local children. She stressed that many of them were not friends of her son.

The play equipment has since been moved to another communal garden but this has sparked yet more complaints from other neighbours.

There are eight people in total in the block, four on each side, which includes a mix of council and privately-owned flats.

The authority confirmed that it had received complaints from three different tenants since the arrival of the trampoline more than a month ago.

The council, which owns the gardens, makes allowances for equipment but only if residents living nearby are happy with it.

A council spokesman said: “It is always preferable if residents can agree amongst themselves a resolution for shared areas.

“The shared garden area is council land and allowances can be made for play apparatus as long as there is a positive agreement with the neighbours.

“As this was not the case here the trampoline must be removed until a solution can be reached.”