A FATHER-of-three has won the first stage of his battle to turn a rubbish, needle and knotweed-blighted patch of land behind his house into a garden - but it could cost him his chickens.

Community volunteer Haider Khan, 37 has spent £27,000 clearing the area behind his Greenhead Avenue, Little Harwood, home since 2004 to provide a place for his young children to play.

But the engineer’s efforts have angered his neighbours and dozens objected to his application to Blackburn with Darwen Council to develop it as his garden.

They were particularly annoyed by the noise of his chickens and the fact he did not own the land, which is registered to no-one.

This month’s meeting of the borough planning committee granted him permission to use it as a garden but removed his right to keep poultry and ordered him to take down their run and re-apply separately to reinstate it.

Mr Khan now has to apply to the Land Registry to take ownership of the space which is infested with Japanese Knotweed.

After the committee received 35 letters and a 48-signature petition objecting, he attended the virtual meeting to make his case.

He told councillors: “Since 2004 we have maintained the garage, land and the back alley from fly-tippers and druggies. At my own cost we have removed over ten skips and removed needles and other drug-related items over 15 years.

“Last year I put wooden fencing and locked metal gates all around the land to stop consistent fly-tippers, anti-social behaviour and the spread of knotweed. The land in question has been cleared of all rubbish and levelled out.

“I was served with a notice by the environment department advising me to remove the knotweed.

“I have appointed a knotweed specialist to remove the knotweed from the land and from neighbours' gardens. This has cost me over £15,000 already.

“Two years ago I paid over the odds for a family home backing on to the land so my family can live not far from my elderly parents.

“All in all we have spent more than £27,000 on the land so far not including the labour and time spent by me and my dad."

Cllr Phil Riley, the borough’s regeneration boss, said: “This is one of the most curious planning applications we have had to deal with. I would be surprised if this is the last we hear of 29 Greenhead Avenue.”