Controversial 'slapdash' fence approved despite safety and eyesore complaints

The fence has been met with backlash by angry drivers

A homeowner has been granted planning permission to keep a boundary fence despite locals objecting to the "eyesore" fixture.

Gary Partlett, from Skelton, requested retrospective permission for the fence outside his semi-detached bungalow on Wiltshire Road. But furious residents claimed the fence was dangerous because it is placed on a bend. They said it has created a "blind" spot for drivers and accused it of being built in a "slapdash" fashion.

Comments submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Council warned it was "only a matter of time before a collision takes place or a pedestrian gets hit by a car". Neighbours also stressed their concerns on its aesthetic and said it is "changing the whole feel" of their estate.

The matter came up before Redcar and Cleveland Council's regulatory committee a year ago, which deferred a decision so revisions could be considered. In finally granting planning permission, regulatory committee chairman Councillor Stuart Smith highlighted that there were other fences on the estate just as high and a partial trellis attached to it had now been removed.

Mr Partlett said the fence looked unsightly and explained that he had "done his best to tidy it up". He said he had never witnessed any near misses involving vehicles. Members of the committee had requested the trellis be taken down and, separately, that measures could be potentially taken to slow traffic in the vicinity with the involvement of local ward councillors, reports Teesside Live. They said they were concerned at the unsightly nature of the fence due to its different heights and the partial trellis and understood the view of neighbouring households who were directly looking at it.

A report said: "The provision of a fence in this location continues to remain acceptable in principle. The fence raises no issues in terms of neighbour amenity or highways safety. The removal of the trellis has improved the appearance of the fence and the development does not have an adverse impact on the street scene."

A condition attached to the planning permission said the fence should not be altered in height or new materials incorporated into it. Mr Partlett had told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he had reduced the height of the offending fence after a request from council planning officers.

A previous assessment by the local planning authority said that while many homes in the area were either open plan, or simply had a small wall or fence to the front of their property, there were also examples of higher fences along Wiltshire Road and around corner properties.

It said the loss of a view was not a material planning consideration and referred to comments made by the council's own development engineers, who said that there continued to be sufficient forward visibility around the bend at the Wiltshire Road/Dorset Road junction for drivers.