UPDATE:
WOODLAND bosses have given a homeless man’s shelter a stay of execution.
Yesterday the Forestry Commision said it planned to demolish a hut made by Chaz Johnson in Pods Wood, Tiptree, but have now decided to change their plans.
Communications manager Roger East said: “We initially gave the then unknown occupant due notice that it would be dismantled this week.
"Having now established that the illegal dwelling is the home of Chaz Johnson, we have suspended our immediate plans to remove the forest shelter.
“We are contacting the local authority in an attempt to help him find more appropriate housing before taking any further action.”
Mr Johnson said: "It is definitely something for them to say it can stay up for a bit.
"That is a start isn't it? It is something to go on."
A HOMELESS man who built a shelter in woodland has been told it must be destroyed.
Chaz Johnson, 21, built a dwelling from natural materials in Pods Wood, Tiptree, six months ago after being forced to leave the flat he shared with his friends and then-girlfriend.
When he returned to the site on after work on Thursday he found a notice from the Forest Commission saying that it would be destroyed on Tuesday.
Mr Johnson originally built the hut because he did not want to burden friends by sleeping in their homes, and is working two jobs to try and save up enough cash for deposit on his own flat.
He said: “Everyone seems to really like it but I try not to even be there too much.
“When I lost the flat I was living in I didn’t want to keep staying with my friends and bothering them and I thought if I built somewhere it would give me somewhere to go if it was raining.
“I would be happy to leave if they wanted me to as long as they don’t destroy it completely.
“I have even had groups from primary schools coming to look at it.”
The innovative shelter is made mostly of materials which could be found in the forest fixed together with nails, and a mixture of mud and water.
Mr Johnson’s father Martin died of heart disease in May and he said being forced to tear down his creation would be another blow.
He said: “It is just another thing awful thing to happen and just in time for Christmas as well.”
Friends of Mr Johnson have submitted an appeal to the Forestry Commission on his behalf in a bid for the shelter to be saved.
Communications manager for the Forestry Commission in the east of England Roger Woods said: “This woodland is privately owned and the Forestry Commission leases it from the landowner for growing timber.
“These structures have been built in the woodland without the landowner’s or planning permission so the landowner’s agent has asked us to remove them.
“We gave the unknown occupant due notice that they would be dismantled this week.”
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