A dad grafted for three months building a 16ft high treehouse for his children before a council ordered him to pull it down.
Kai Grunwald forked out £1,200 to build the wooden structure - which includes a slide and climbing wall - for daughters Kara, six, and Kayleigh, four.
But the 40-year-old, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, said it's a case of "red tape gone mad" after Dacorum Borough Council told him to demolish it within 28 days.
The authority sent Kai, a strategy director, a letter stating the treehouse is a breach of planning regulations because it is over 0.3m in height.
The dad admits he should have sought planning permission in hindsight but struggles to understand the council's attitude.
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"It’s not like I’ve built a block of flats or something like that without permission, I just wanted to do something nice for the girls," Kai told The Sun.
"One of the great joys for me, apart from their excitement, was the encouragement, smiles and comments I received whilst making it. It was a lovely way to engage with the community."
Working on the treehouse on evenings and weekends, Kai said it also helped to distract him from his day job which sees him staring at a computer screen most of the day.
Along with wife Kerryn, 38, he wants to be able to submit a planning application retrospectively and work with the council to ensure everything fits the regulations.
However, Kai said DBC has shut that option down and wants the treehouse gone, which he said seems "totally unfair".
The council raised concerns about the safety of the structure, as it encroaches on a footpath, as well as the visual impact on the street in its letter.
However, Kai disputes this, having made it all from "high quality material" and is adamant it is "very safe", while it only "marginally overhangs the street path below".
A council spokesperson told the Mirror: "Dacorum Borough Council was informed of the structure within the Berkhamsted area of Dacorum.
"Following an investigation and considering planning policies, the Council has explained the reasons why the structure should be removed.
"The homeowner can apply for retrospective planning permission and we are happy to discuss modifications or alternatives.
"This would enable the Council to assess the impact fully including taking into account any comments which may be received from local residents."
