Neighbours take of-fence
IT may look like any other garden fence.
But this 6ft barrier is causing quite a stir in a leafy Gateshead street.
Some neighbours claim the wooden fence, guarding a £250,000 four-bedroom terraced home, is making Low Fell’s Beacon Street “ugly”.
Now, Gateshead Council has demanded that the fence, built without planning permission, should be removed.
The owner has launched a fight to save it from destruction but neighbours insist the brown structure is an eyesore.
“The fencing is ugly and not in keeping with the street or surrounding area,” said objector Simon Walters, who lives yards away in Primrose Hill. And he’s not alone.
Paul Dillon, of Church described the fence as “crude”.
He said: “The proposal is within the Low Fell conservation area and, as such, is out of character with the street scene.”
Critics claimed that the owner removed “well established” hedges Road, last summer, which were bustling with wildlife.
However, they say the fence doesn’t fit into an area “characterised by natural hedges and the remnants of low walls”.
And agree.
The council’s planning committee refused planning permission – sought after it was put up – before serving an enforcement notice to get it taken down.
Rejecting the retrospective planning application, the local authority said: “The fencing appears out of character with the street scene and would lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of the Low Fell conservation area.”
It added there was “no public benefit to outweigh that harm”.
However, the applicant has now lodged an appeal over the planning decision.
The Chronicle repeatedly attempted to contact the applicant for a comment.
Mr Walters added: “If the owners who foolishly did not check planning laws are allowed to keep this horrid fencing then I feel this will only encourage others to do the same.” it appears council officers