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Garden fence rules...
Comments
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There's a retaining wall involved, so I also wouldn't be keen to plant laurel if the intention is to let it get to 9'. Also, although it grows quite fast, it won't be getting to that height overnight so won't be that effective at screening the neighbour's chats for the next couple of years. As the OP's property is 3' lower they will be getting more of the negative impacts of shading/overbearing, so as a means of getting any sense of 'revenge' on the neighbour if they object to the high fence then it may backfire.
OP - as well as planning restrictions, you also need to check your deeds to see whether there are any covenants governing the height of fences.
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No hint of 'revenge', just a perfectly reasonable alternative. If one person reckons they can restrict another person's screening fence to an effective 3' whilst literally chewing t'cud over it, then a wee tree or two is perfectly viable alternative.
Your recommendation is what?
The OP could also erect a canopy within their own garden to give them temporary privacy if that is what they want - whilst the trees grow. And a few 9' laurels ain't going to have any effect on a retaining wall, or any other kind.
What Planning restrictions do you envisage could possibly be in place? What type of covenant would govern a 9' tree - have you ever seen such a condition, or heard of one?
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Jack, we had a very similar situation to yourself a number of years ago. 3 feet on our neighbour's side and 6 feet on our side. It was our fence and so we decided to erect a 6' fence on top of our retaining wall, creating a 6' feet fence on our neighbour's side and 9 feet fence/retaining wall on our side.
Our neighbour the other side (who had a similar set up and had extended their fence a few years before), actually commented that it was much better, in their opinion! Luckily the affected neighbour never complained at all and the fence is still there today, though I no longer live in the property.
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Add trellis with a climber planted along it perhaps?
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If one person reckons they can restrict another person's screening fence to an effective 3' whilst literally chewing t'cud over it, then a wee tree or two is perfectly viable alternative.
It isn't "one person", it is the planning rules. OP can choose to ignore the rules and have a higher fence, but the risk is someone might complain to the council. That could be the neighbour, or someone else. Given the reason the OP wants the taller fence is to stop the annoying neighbour looking/talking over the top of what is there already there's a good chance things could escalate, in which case the planning breach may well be reported.
It hasn't been mentioned yet, but the height limit for planning is just a permitted development rule. The OP could apply for consent for a higher fence, but even then "one person" (the neighbour) still can't veto it. However, there's a good chance the council would refuse consent for an effective 9' high fence in a domestic property garden as at that height the fence will look more in keeping for a prison.
And a few 9' laurels ain't going to have any effect on a retaining wall, or any other kind.
We don't know the type of wall, nor the condition, nor what foundations it has, nor the soil type. AFAIK you aren't a structural engineer. There's zero basis for your assertion that 9' trees won't have an effect on the wall. I'd say (as someone who does have some civil/structural engineering background) that planting trees (even hedges) next to a retaining wall is generally a bad idea - at least not without first getting an opinion from a qualified structural engineer.
Any substantial plant has the ability to alter the soil moisture profile within its root zone. Fast growing/vigorous plants can be a particular problem.
Picking up a possible five-figure repair bill for the retaining wall would be an expensive way of dealing with an annoying neighbour.
What Planning restrictions do you envisage could possibly be in place? What type of covenant would govern a 9' tree - have you ever seen such a condition, or heard of one?
"…to see whether there are any covenants governing the height of fences"
^I didn't say anything about covenants governing trees.
However, planning restrictions on the height of vegetation/plants/trees are quite common, though probably not relevant in the OP's situation.
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Do you have a recommendation for the OP?
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Yes. Given already:
i) Check for any covenants which are more restrictive than permitted development.
ii) If there's a problem with the height of the new fence then don't plant trees/hedges close to the retaining wall without professional advice about the impact it might have on the wall.
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Yep the height is good enough, we saw him today in the range (wasn't looking for Laurels honest) and he didn't say anything, probably because he wasn't sloshed...
here is the finished article, yes the composite gravel boards and posts were installed wonky years ago by Stevie wonder and yes I should of assed a ft or 2 to the @Easyfence Easy posts
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I wasn't expecting it to look like that from the OP post.
So now you won't see him but you will still hear him talking poo or words to that affect.
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Like BooHoo, I visualised it differently too!
I hope that does the job for you. If it doesn't - if he starts to peer over, or you find the appearance too stark - then you could build a slim trough - on stilts if you like - alongside the first few panels, and plant a line of, say, bamboo, of which Dragon's Head is both pikturskew and of suitable height.
If you do put planting in front of the panels, then seriously consider painting them charcoal-black first. The contrast is stunning imo.
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