Planning permission to grow a lawn?

The government has come up with controversial plans that could see gardeners be forced to ask for planning permission to grow fast-growing plants or even lawns, according to the Daily Express.

The measures were proposed in a policy document commissioned by the department for environment, food and rural affairs as part of environmentally friendly policies that favour mulched gardens.

The document claims un-mulched gardens require extensive watering and that lawn trimmings are ending up in landfill sites instead of compost heaps.

Backbench Tory MP Philip Davies admitted that he is surprised by the suggestion.

"I am gobsmacked that this is something the government thinks is worth wasting their time with," he told the newspaper.

"They should be concerned with saving gardens by stopping developments being built on them, not intruding further into peoples private lives."

It is a suggestion that is likely to anger gardeners around the country, most of whom are very concerned with their impact on the environment.