A DEVELOPER is threatening to fill in a homeowner s garden pond…because its own contractors put a boundary fence in the wrong place. Christopher Doyle, of Arbour Close, Lower Cambourne, told The Hunts Post that he has been in dispute with Bovis Homes s

A DEVELOPER is threatening to fill in a homeowner's garden pond...because its own contractors put a boundary fence in the wrong place.

Christopher Doyle, of Arbour Close, Lower Cambourne, told The Hunts Post that he has been in dispute with Bovis Homes since 2007 after it was discovered part of his pond was on land owned by Cambourne developers, MCA.

Mr Doyle created the pond at his new home to pursue his love of wildlife and said it is home to frogs and newts.

He has been told by Bovis that if he wants to keep the pond he must retain it for 20 years or have it filled in. But Mr Doyle believes that agreeing to keep the pond for 20 years could prevent him from selling his home in the future.

"I had no idea that part of the land was built on land owned by a third party until I got a letter telling me," he said.

"We built the pond to enhance wildlife in the area and it would be criminal to destroy it but we can't commit to 20 years. Ten years would be fine but what if we wanted to sell our house? It could put off buyers.

"It is so frustrating, we seem like we have to either except 20 years or agree to get it filled in."

Mr Doyle, 57, said he and his wife, Ann, 54, spent �5,000 on the pond and landscaping.

"We've being punished just because a fence was put in the wrong place," added Mr Doyle, a general facilities manager at Hinchingbrooke Hospital's treatment centre in Huntingdon.

A Bovis Homes spokesman said it had gone to great lengths to help Mr Doyle keep his pond.

"We accept contractors erected the boundary fence in the wrong position on land owned by a consortium of developers. At Mr Doyle's request we have spent considerable time organising for this third party land to be transferred to him and we offered to pay the cost.

"This land was originally intended as part of the wildlife area that adjoins it, which in future is intended to come under the control of the local Wildlife Trust. To protect the future of wildlife using the pond and to ensure correct wildlife usage of the land, the Wildlife Trust would have overall control of it and would have a 20 year option to take back the land if its use as a wildlife area is breached.

"Mr Doyle is not prepared to accept these terms and has now asked that the boundary fence be reinstated to its correct position and that we fill in the pond.