Village Covenants

All residents in Vigo are bound by Covenants on their properties.

Covenants were imposed on all home owners in Vigo by the Developers. This was to ensure that all properties and their surroundings would be maintained to a high standard and look welcoming and attractive to the residents and to people thinking of moving into the Village.

The Covenants are made between all home owners and Vigo Parish Council (who are the successors to the Developers). They also exist between residents in the same phase of the development.

Vigo Parish Council (VPC) has the responsibility for maintaining and enforcing the covenants and is the only body which can give the permissions shown below. The document that follows sets out the general requirements of each of the six covenants, in non-legal language. Residents are advised to check the Covenants in their Deeds to see the exact wording.

Following a Village-wide consultation, Vigo Parish Council Produced a Covenants Guidance leaflet.

Covenants Guidance Leaflet , August 2021, amended 2023

The leaflet can be accessed here

Amendments are shown in blue.

The Covenants in plain English

Covenant 1

Everyone must maintain a barrier on the boundaries designated with a “T” on the plans for their property.

Covenant 2

Residents must not use their houses, garages or outbuildings as business premises.
Residents must not use their property for any activities that cause a nuisance or annoy other residents.
Existing trees must not be cut down.
The trees in the Village are also covered by a ‘Tree Preservation Order’ and this part of Covenant 2 is rigorously enforced by Gravesham Borough Council.

Covenant 3

Residents may not erect additional buildings, or make any external additions or alterations to an existing building, without having first submitted plans and drawings to Vigo Parish Council, and having received written approval from Vigo Parish Council for the changes they wish to make.
All alterations require approval, including replacing wooden window frames and cladding with PVC.
(Where changes have already been made, it is possible to apply to VPC for retrospective planning permission. A fee of £50 is charged for applications requesting retrospective permission. For further information contact the Clerk on 01732 823337; or e-mail clerk@vigo-pc.gov.uk

Residents cannot erect a wall, fence or hedge in front of the building line of their house. This includes the erection of a wall, as part of an extension.
The restriction that prevents walls, hedges and fences being erected in front of the building line results from the original planning permission granted to the developers, which required the Village to be ‘open plan’.

Residents cannot change the position or height of existing walls or fences unless they have asked for, and received, written permission.

Covenant 4

Residents must not do, or allow anything to be done that would damage or obstruct roads or footpaths.

Covenant 5

Residents must maintain the external appearance of their property and not change the original colour of their paintwork without written approval.

Covenant 6

All residents must pay for the maintenance of the community areas in the Village
(This Covenant is no longer relevant as all residents now pay a precept to VPC as part of their Council Tax.)

These covenants ensure:

The right to privacy of all residents is maintained.
All residents can be sure that other properties will only be used for residential purposes.
The appearance of houses in the Village will remain in keeping with its style and ethos.
The open plan nature of the Village will be preserved.
Everyone has proper access to roads and footpaths.

Covenants Enforcement

It is clear that the majority of these covenants are in place to help maintain the Village to the standard that we all like to see. As successors to the Developers and for the best interests of everyone in the Village, VPC enforces Covenants 1, 3 and 4.

Covenant 2: VPC enforces the sections about residents not causing a nuisance to others and not cutting down trees. The section regarding residents not using their premises to carry out a business is enforced where the business is shown to be causing a nuisance to other residents.

Covenant 5 has never been strictly enforced with regard to the colour that residents paint their front doors, but VPC do restrict the colour that may be used for window frames.
VPC enforce the covenant in relation to the external appearance of a property if it is substantially below standard.

Please check to see that you are not in breach of any of these Covenants.