Fence problem, can you advise pls?

pennypitstop_2

Hi MSE-ers

I'm looking for some advice, so hope you will be kind enough to read and reply!

We've had a visit and a letter from the council saying the fence on our front is too high as it's more than a metre up from the road level. It's a perfectly respectable, nice, painted fence which doesn't look out of place...The visit and letter has followed a complaint (we're not sure who but have a neighbour who has always been one for making other people's lives awkward).

The problem I have though is that my front garden is a couple of feet above street level, so a lower fence the correct height on the outside would look like a little picket from our angle!

There are loads of front gardens like this on my street and the surrounding streets, which have high walls and fences... when we pointed this out to the man from the council, his reply was "but no-one's complained about those ones, so they are fine".:mad:

Besides privacy, we have two little girls so I'm also keen to keep the fence up for safety issues too (after all, there must be a health and safety directive in law that says I should take steps to safeguard my kids!)

What would you suggest? I can't see applying for approval would work since someone in the area has complained at this stage. I could plant some very tall trees but the front lawn isn't huge and trees might take up most of the space!

I also don't want an expensive fine or a fight with the council.

Can you think of an alternative that will let me keep the fence up? Hope someone can come up with an idea... thanks in advance for any replies,

Penny

iamcornholio

pennypitstop wrote: »

There are loads of front gardens like this on my street and the surrounding streets, which have high walls and fences... when we pointed this out to the man from the council, his reply was "but no-one's complained about those ones, so they are fine".:mad:

Prepare a list of those other properties and then you make the complaint to that officer - make individual ones and demand a formal response to each one. This bumps up his workload a bit. Then complain to his manager that the officer was dismissive in his attitude towards your concern as a resident and local tax payer, to potential unlawful development

There is probably nothing you can do about your fence as it will need to conform to planning policy. You can make an application for approval and go through the appeals process and then if all fails see if the council are prepared to spend public money on enforcement action for a fence which is similar to many other fences in the locality

Otherwise its a hedge for you

pennypitstop_2

Thanks, it's what I thought... no miraculous 'think outside the box' ideas, are there?!
P

moonrakerz

pennypitstop wrote: »

no miraculous 'think outside the box' ideas, are there?!
P

Plant Leyland Cypress ?

lesalanos

build the fence slightly in from the boundary

pennypitstop_2

Thanks, Moonrakerz and Leslanos... buiding the fence slightly in from the boundary: we have looked at this and it seems that it must be a minimum of 2 metres in. We don't really have a spare 2 metres there without giving up a lot of the lawn.

Leyland Cypress - yes, we're looking into cutting the fence down to the maximum we could have and planting some trees just behind it, on our side. Gold Leylandiis are looking good and hopefully wouldn't take up too much room! Just a matter of waiting for them to grow and bush out :-)

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Penny

Vibrant

Has the council officer specified by how much the height needs to be reduced? If the fence is the close board type, it would be fairly easy to reduce the height by an inch and say job done. Or if he didn't measure the fence, don't do anything and just claim you have.

One of the neighbours in my street is also a pain and complains constantly to council, police, etc, about everything (we all think she is barmy and I suspect the police and council do to) and anything.

Bonny1

iamcornholio wrote: »

Prepare a list of those other properties and then you make the complaint to that officer - make individual ones and demand a formal response to each one.

I have to agree with this one mate.. and keep on until you get an answer :j

Bonny

keystone

The height of your fence should usually be measured from the ground on your side of the fence not from street level - unless your council has very special rules in this respect.

Cheers

vaio

^^ that's what i thought too

Loanranger

Planting leylandii is not the only solution and they cause many problems.
They take up huge amounts of water to their roots and so your lawn will suffer and will die around the hedge. They need trimming once a year at least. When they begin to die off they do not regenerate themselves so at the bottom you are left with ugly bare branches and brown dead patches. They have a large 'spread'.
It's better to buy more mature hedging plants that have more growth and so are taller. Plant nurseries rather garden centres are best for this.
I would look at beech hedging.
We have leylandii and beech in our garden and the leylandii looks awful and is PITA to maintain. Beech also needs trimming but looks much better.