{"success":true,"data":{"id":"969ff2c3-5ea8-469b-9612-2f65c8f02a99","title":"Berlin Wall in garden breaches planning rules","summary":"Image source, Steven Thorpe Image caption, Steven Thorpe installed this segment of the Berlin Wall in his garden in February By Aurelia Foster BBC London Published 9 July 2026 A man who sited a section of the Berlin Wall in his south London garden may be...","content":"# Berlin Wall in garden breaches planning rules\n\n![Image 1: Steven Thorpe - a man in his sixties with white hair and glasses, wearing blue jeans and a blue shirt - stands next to a large section of grey wall with graffiti on it.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/1440/cpsprodpb/c2bc/live/225a3110-7aed-11f1-9510-1546718f668b.png)Image source, Steven Thorpe\n\nImage caption, \n\nSteven Thorpe installed this segment of the Berlin Wall in his garden in February\n\nBy Aurelia Foster\n\nBBC London\n\n*   Published 9 July 2026 \n\n**A man who sited a section of the Berlin Wall in his south London garden may be forced to remove it, after complaints from neighbours.**\n\nSteven Thorpe said he bought a chunk of the historic wall in Siggelkow, Germany before bringing it home, hoping to preserve it.\n\nAfter installing it by his house in Herne Hill, Thorpe received a notice from Southwark Council describing it as \"unauthorised building works\" that were illegal without planning permission.\n\nThe property developer said he did not think he needed permission to put an \"artwork\" in his garden, but said he was now working \"constructively\" with the local authority.\n\nThorpe told the BBC he dug a pit to house the 12ft (3.6m) structure to minimise its impact, with the wall now sitting 10ft (3.1m) above ground.\n\nHe also planted greenery around it to soften his neighbours' view, he said.\n\nBut in a letter from the council dated 2 July, Thorpe was told the \"building works\" were \"unacceptable\" and an enforcement notice would be served.\n\nIt said the installation harmed a neighbouring property because of its \"overbearing scale, oppressive sense of enclosure and stark industrial appearance\".\n\nThe notice warned Thorpe he could face a fine of up to £20,000 if he did not successfully seek planning permission.\n\n![Image 2: A large concrete chunk of wall with graffiti sitting on a lawn](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/1440/cpsprodpb/6312/live/4397b690-7aed-11f1-bee8-53ce494e1abc.png)Image source, Steven Thorpe\n\nImage caption, \n\nSteven Thorpe said he considered the the 12ft (3.6m) to be an \"artwork\"\n\nThorpe said it was disappointing to receive the notice.\n\n\"I didn't think I needed permission to put an artwork in my own garden. I don't consider it to be building works, I consider it to be an installation of a piece of historical architecture and art.\n\n\"I was hoping to preserve a piece of history.\"\n\n\"The majority of people seem to very impressed by it.\n\n\"Some of the neighbours have been very supportive, bringing their children around to have a look at it and their grandchildren in a couple of cases.\"\n\nThorpe said he had also been planning to open his garden to the public later this year, so more people can see it and learn about it.\n\nThorpe said he had invited a planning officer from Southwark Council to view the wall, as well as a representative of the local landowner the Dulwich Estate.\n\n\"I look forward to meeting them next week and hopefully they will agree with me and will let me keep it,\" he said.\n\n![Image 3: A red pick-up truck with a winch about the lift the piece of wall, parked by a row of houses](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/1200/cpsprodpb/9365/live/3cc43d40-7ae1-11f1-92ad-0760563ca229.jpg)Image source, Steven Thorpe\n\nImage caption, \n\nSteven Thorpe said transporting the piece of Berlin Wall to south London from Germany was \"quite an undertaking\"\n\nThorpe told the BBC he bought the section of wall after making regular visits to Berlin to play rugby in the late 1980s.\n\n\"Standing beside the Wall, knowing that the Soviet observation posts were looking across at us from the other side, brought home just how real the Cold War was.\n\n\"I returned to Berlin in 1989 just after it came down and watching a city reunite and seeing one of the greatest symbols of division disappear was an unforgettable experience.\n\n\"I suppose it remains one of the defining moments of my lifetime.\"\n\nA Southwark Council spokesperson said: \"We have received a planning complaint about a section of wall installed in Dulwich.\n\n\"We will investigate the complaint and take any appropriate action in line with the national planning process.\"\n\n_Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on_[_Sounds_](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/curation/p0cjdwm5)_and follow BBC London on_[_Facebook_, external](https://www.facebook.com/BBCLondon)_,_[_X_, external](https://twitter.com/BBCLondonNews)_and_[_Instagram_, external](https://www.instagram.com/bbclondon/?hl=en)_. 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