THEY used to be the preserve of proud gardeners clipping rose bushes, but now they are more likely to be home to a man armed with a chamois leather polishing a four-by-four.
The loss of front gardens in conservation areas has become so acute, conservation area advisory committees want to force residents into getting planning permission if they want to dig up the flower bed and lay down concrete.
The introduction of controlled parking zones has increased the number of households converting their front gardens into off-street parking spaces.
At the moment residents do not need planning permission for the work.
According to Gordon McClean, of Belsize Residents Association, the Town Hall is dragging its heels on introducing restrictions because it fears they will be unpopular with residents.
He said: “The council could introduce an Article Four direction, which would force people in conservation areas to apply for planning permission before they could convert their front gardens.
“We have been asking them to do this for years but they say it costs too much and they think it will be unpopular.
“But neighbouring boroughs like Islington have introduced it so I don’t see why they can’t.”
His views were echoed by Enid Allen, who chairs Highgate Conservation Area Advisory Committee.
She said: “A lot of little gardens add up to a very large area. It is happening more and more as people look for additional parking spaces. Our countryside is shrinking and we keep losing green areas.”
Martin Humphery, from Hampstead Conservation Area Advisory Committee, said: “Unfortunately at the moment people can do things like this to their properties because it comes under the category of permitted development.
“We put a detailed case to the council four years ago outlining our objections but they did nothing about it. It is an ongoing battle and the problem is getting worse.”
He added: “All these little things that people do contribute towards destroying the conservation area and, before you know it, you have lost what you were trying to defend.”
A Town Hall press official said that introducing restrictions would be an additional burden for the council and would be difficult to enforce.
He said: “We currently have six Article Four directions in operation in the borough. Like many other London authorities, we are reluctant to introduce more because of the heavy resource implications of enforcing them.
“In addition, the government is currently reviewing them, which could make them less relevant, so we are waiting to see what they decide.”