Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council is taking action over a wooden play ship in a back garden.

The four-metre high structure has been built without permission.

Due to its size and proximity to neighbouring homes, the council’s planning committee has ordered it to be redesigned to protect the privacy of neighbouring homes.

Parts of the nautical nuisance, which has been built at a house in Hectorage Road, Tonbridge, and incorporates a cabin, climbing ropes, suspended canvas bucket and gangplank, will now have to be removed by its owner.

The council informed the owner in 2014 a retrospective application must be submitted for the climbing frame and tree house and also sent a number of follow-up letters but no application has been submitted. The owner did reply saying he wished to “sort the issue out” but failed to follow up on the offer.

At the meeting last Thursday the council issued an enforcement notice ordering the owner to remove ladder access to the outdoor deck and remove the balustrades from around the ship. He has also been told to construct a wall and insert opaque panels in the cabin.