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An ex-miner has been forced to lower his front garden wall for the second time, after receiving yet more complaints.

When Mark Roberts built his £5,000, 1.8 metre high wall outside his home on Aneurin Bevan Avenue, Gelligaer, three years ago, he did so without any issues.

Over a year later, the ex-miner was told by Caerphilly County Borough Council it had received complaints and ordered the wall be lowered.

Since then, Mr Roberts has been battling with the council and residents to keep his wall. He explained to Caerphilly Observer: “Me and my partner are very house proud and wanted to bring some quality to the area.

“After the first complaint, I lowered the wall to 1.5 metres. Since then I’ve had planning enforcement out regularly measuring the wall, and I’ve had to lower it again to one metre.”

According to Welsh Government, planning permission is needed for walls, fences, and gates over one metre tall next to a footpath or road, something Mr Roberts, who volunteers every Christmas as a community Santa Claus, didn’t apply for.

“The wall isn’t doing anyone any harm”, Mr Roberts said. “It’s attached to a gate that’s been here 20 years and is much taller than the wall. It’s absolute madness”, he added.

Mr Roberts went on to explain he is suffering with depression, and the dispute had taken its toll.

He said: “If they ask me to lower the wall again then I’ll rip the whole thing down and put tin sheeting up.

“I’m a community man who runs the Santa sleigh, I’m not looking to cause any harm but I feel like I’m being targeted by everyone.”

In response, Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “Following a complaint by a member of the public, Caerphilly County Borough Council investigated an allegation that an unauthorised wall had been erected to the front boundary of a property in Gelligaer.

“Upon investigating the allegation, it was noted that a wall was in excess of 1m in height and had been erected adjacent to a highway.”

A spokesperson from the council went on to say that negotiations had been “undertaken” with Mr Roberts in an attempt to resolve the issue, but after a failed appeal, Mr Roberts was again instructed to reduce the size of the wall.

Mr Roberts responded: “I just hope this is the end of it now. Either way the whole thing has been a complete waste of everybody’s time.”

The council has since told Mr Roberts that after their latest inspection, the wall is now at the correct height.