By . Steph Cockroft . A mother and father who spent five weeks crafting a magical treehouse for their children have been ordered by council chiefs to rip it down - because it does not have planning permission. Remco Bosma, 38, and his wife Sylvia, . 37, lovingly built the 12ft wooden playhouse after their children - Nick, seven, Anouk, five and Jack, three - begged for the secret hideaway. The couple spent £750 on fence panels and corrugated material before building the den in a weeping willow tree in the back garden of their home in Crowland, Lincolnshire. Sylvia Bosma, 37 - who is pictured with her children Nick, seven, Anouk, five and Jack, three - has been ordered to rip down the treehouse in Crowland, Lincolnshire, because it does not have planning permission . But just days after the project was finished, the couple received a letter from the council saying the treehouse needed planning permission - because it had a 'raised platform' and was more than 11ft high. South Holland District Council - which said it had received a complaint about the structure - ordered the family to either dismantle the treehouse 'in its entirety' or to apply for retrospective planning permission. Mr Bosma said: 'My kids will be devastated if the tree house has to come down. 'I will feel very bad tearing it down too. When you spend such a lot of time building something you become very attached to it. 'The kids saw a tree house earlier in the year and said to me that they would like one. So I went out and bought some fence panels and corrugated materials for the roof. The Bosmas spent five weeks and £750 creating the magical hideaway for their three children. But the council sent the family a letter just days later saying it had received a complaint about the structure . The council told the family it had to either tear down the treehouse or apply for retrospective planning permission . Council chiefs said a building in a garden would not usually need planning permission - but this one needs permission because it has a 'raised platform' and is more than 11ft high . 'I spent loads of my spare time up that tree and the children were over the moon with the results, the absolutely adore it. 'When the letter came I was surprised. I just did not realise you would need planning permission for a tree house.' The Bosmas have now submitted a retrospective application to the authority but face an anxious wait as to whether or not they have to rip down the precious treehouse. If the council rejects the planning application, it will have to be torn down. South Holland District Council said it had received a complaint about the treehouse, even though Mr and Mrs Bosma said noone had complained to them . Mr Bosma said: 'I had a chat with my wife and we decided to put in the planning application immediately. 'It has been over a month now and I still have no idea when we will find out the result. 'I just don't really want to think about how they will react to the news if we do have to bring it down - it would break their hearts.' Mr Bosma said the children were over the moon when the treehouse was completed and will be heartbroken if it has to be torn down . Mr and Mrs Bosma were also shocked that the council had received a complaint, even though noone had come to them first with concerns. The couple spent five weeks constructing the 12ft triangular structure and finally completed the project in March. A spokesman for South Holland District Council said: 'A member of the public contacted us about the tree house. 'We sent a letter to Mr Bosma to inform him the structure did require planning permission. 'He has now submitted a planning application which will now be considered.' The decision is expected to be made next week.
Remco and Sylvia Bosma built the treehouse in Crowland, Lincolnshire .
Days later the couple received a letter from South Holland District Council .
The couple were warned to tear it down or apply for planning permission .
The council said it breached rules because it was more than 11ft high .
By . Steph Cockroft . A mother and father who spent five weeks crafting a magical treehouse for their children have been ordered by council chiefs to rip it down - because it does not have planning permission. Remco Bosma, 38, and his wife Sylvia, . 37, lovingly built the 12ft wooden playhouse after their children - Nick, seven, Anouk, five and Jack, three - begged for the secret hideaway. The couple spent £750 on fence panels and corrugated material before building the den in a weeping willow tree in the back garden of their home in Crowland, Lincolnshire. Sylvia Bosma, 37 - who is pictured with her children Nick, seven, Anouk, five and Jack, three - has been ordered to rip down the treehouse in Crowland, Lincolnshire, because it does not have planning permission . But just days after the project was finished, the couple received a letter from the council saying the treehouse needed planning permission - because it had a 'raised platform' and was more than 11ft high. South Holland District Council - which said it had received a complaint about the structure - ordered the family to either dismantle the treehouse 'in its entirety' or to apply for retrospective planning permission. Mr Bosma said: 'My kids will be devastated if the tree house has to come down. 'I will feel very bad tearing it down too. When you spend such a lot of time building something you become very attached to it. 'The kids saw a tree house earlier in the year and said to me that they would like one. So I went out and bought some fence panels and corrugated materials for the roof. The Bosmas spent five weeks and £750 creating the magical hideaway for their three children. But the council sent the family a letter just days later saying it had received a complaint about the structure . The council told the family it had to either tear down the treehouse or apply for retrospective planning permission . Council chiefs said a building in a garden would not usually need planning permission - but this one needs permission because it has a 'raised platform' and is more than 11ft high . 'I spent loads of my spare time up that tree and the children were over the moon with the results, the absolutely adore it. 'When the letter came I was surprised. I just did not realise you would need planning permission for a tree house.' The Bosmas have now submitted a retrospective application to the authority but face an anxious wait as to whether or not they have to rip down the precious treehouse. If the council rejects the planning application, it will have to be torn down. South Holland District Council said it had received a complaint about the treehouse, even though Mr and Mrs Bosma said noone had complained to them . Mr Bosma said: 'I had a chat with my wife and we decided to put in the planning application immediately. 'It has been over a month now and I still have no idea when we will find out the result. 'I just don't really want to think about how they will react to the news if we do have to bring it down - it would break their hearts.' Mr Bosma said the children were over the moon when the treehouse was completed and will be heartbroken if it has to be torn down . Mr and Mrs Bosma were also shocked that the council had received a complaint, even though noone had come to them first with concerns. The couple spent five weeks constructing the 12ft triangular structure and finally completed the project in March. A spokesman for South Holland District Council said: 'A member of the public contacted us about the tree house. 'We sent a letter to Mr Bosma to inform him the structure did require planning permission. 'He has now submitted a planning application which will now be considered.' The decision is expected to be made next week.
planning permission. Remco Bosma, 38, and his Crowland, Lincolnshire, because it does not have project was finished, the couple received a letter from the council saying the treehouse 'raised platform' and was more than 11ft high. South Holland District Council - which said it treehouse 'in its entirety' or to apply for either tear down the treehouse or apply for