I just kept explaining why the councils refusal for permission was incorrect and why my proposal benefited everyone. After a year the guy gave up and said I could do it.
It was built to help:
disabled
women
fat blokes
young kids
disadvantaged people
immigrants
wildlife
old people
I asked them to list who it was harming.
When they said they couldn’t afford it I said I would pay for it. It was dug by hand by volunteers so didn’t cost much. It is all site sourced dirt so little cost for materials
Just keep removing their reasons to say no. Sometimes it takes a bit of imagination to present your case but it is always possible