Neighbour fury as house swallowed up by trees allowed to grow out of control for 40 years

Neighbours fear their house prices after they claim to live next to a house which has been swallowed up by nature after being allowed to grow out of control for 40 years.

The end-terraced property in King’s Norton, Birmingham, has been rendered virtually invisible after disappearing under a blanket of thick foliage over the decades. The front garden is so overrun with plants not even the chimney manages to poke above the mass of greenery which now engulfs almost the entire frontage.

Only the front door and a satellite dish can just be seen after the house on Walkers Heath Road became completely submerged by ivy, trees and weeds. Residents have told of their frustration at living next to the ‘eyesore’ property, which is owned by a woman, in her 90s, who has now gone to live in a care home.

They say the three bedroomed house has been a blot of the landscape for decades after the ‘nature-loving’ homeowner neglected to cut back the plants. It could now be snapped up at auction for just £25,000 – but potential buyers are being warned they will have a massive gardening job on their hands.

Next door neighbour mum-of-four Vivienne Attwood, who works as doctor’s receptionist, said: “It’s been a nightmare. We just hope now it’s being sold, the new owners will clear it up but they will have a big job on their hands. It’s like living next to West Midlands Safari Park. It’s good for wildlife but not for my guttering and roof.

“I’m worried about what its done to the value of our houses too. My husband goes up on the ladders and trims it back whenever it encroaches and luckily we’ve stopped it getting into our roof. She’s always had it this way just not to this extent. We moved in 40 years ago and it was just allowed to grow and grow from there.

“But she used to have somebody in to trim it back until about 10-15 years ago when it was left completely untouched. It has then been allowed to completely take over the entire house. You can’t even really tell there’s a house there now. You get people walking by stopping in their tracks as they can’t quite believe it. It’s not every day you get a massive tree house in Birmingham.

“She had volunteers offer to cut it back – but she refused as she said she liked nature. She was stubborn. Although it attracted plenty of wildlife, it has attracted rats too so it’s not been nice. But because of her age we never really thought we could complain. We always said we would but never got around to it.”

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, added: “The sooner somebody buys it the better as it’s looked an eyesore for years now. “I can’t believe nobody has stepped in to do anything about it because its clearly a health hazard.

“She clearly needed help with it, it just got out of control. Whoever takes it on has got the ultimate gardening job on their hands and who knows what damage has been done to the roof.” Agent Bond Wolfe in Birmingham is advertising the property, which will be auctioned on Thursday, on Rightmove.

A brief outline describes it as “an end terraced property standing back from the road behind a fore garden.” On the ground floor, there is a porch, L shaped reception room and dining kitchen. Upstairs, there is a landing, three bedrooms and bathroom. Bond Wolfe said the property had gas-fired central heating but needed renovation. The home will go under the hammer at public auction.