Grow Your Own Magazine

Just a bit of a mini-rant really

Our neighbours planning permission has gone through and they've started building their stables and garage.

However, instead of hedging, they've decided to put a fence up. The local council have no issues with this, as it's the same as "screening".

We knew they were doing it, and that they planned to take out the old stock fence.

Today, this is what I've come home to:


This is the view we used to have:


And their builders have been kind enough to leave all the old fence in our field


Which means I can't let the dogs back into it until it's been gone over with a fine tooth comb, as there's barbed wirte in there

How altogether depressing....

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"Its not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you" - Bruce Wayne

Have to change your name to OverFenceGrower now, eh?

KK

That is truly awful. You really have my sympathies. Can the council really do nothing if
your view is destroyed? Have you checked with them?

Obviously it is your neighbours' duty to arrange safe disposal of the old fence.

It's also good 'fencing manners' to have the outside of the fence facing your neighbour, but here you have been left with the less attractive structural rails.

EDIT: I guess now at least you have a good solid boundary between your land and their building work (not to mention them!).

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Resistance is fertile

I don't know what to say except that you have my sympathy. Gut reaction would be to heave the old fence over the new,but common sense says go and see your neighbours.They may not know the old fence was left behind and some folk would see that fence as a thing of beauty and expect everyone else to as well!!
You have to live next door to these people(unfortunately!) and it is easier in the long run to bite your tongue and be polite.
I think though that they should have at least asked your opinion on the type of fence put up.

don't quote me on this but something paul just said reminded me of a by- law or something that states when a fence is put up the post are on the owners side and they are responsible for the upkeep as well as the ownership.
If you can prove this to be true then you own the fence and can take it done your self and have the law on your side.

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---) CARL (----
ILFRACOMBE
NORTH DEVON

a seed planted today makes a meal tomorrow!

www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf

now in blog form ! UPDATED 01 / 04 / 08

I can understand your feelings. I would be really upset. Boundaries can be a minefield.

Maybe you could build a raised sitting area and still get the view?

Tracey

Hi

I would be gutted. That lovely view and then the mess and awful fence

I would agree with approaching them and asking if they realised the old fence is still on your land.

A hedge would have been much more use and also environmentally friendly.

Check out the "if it is on your land possibility" you never know you might be lucky.

Best wishes and I hope you get it resolved.

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just had a browse around the net and found this site;
garden law discussion forum

they deal with problems abit like on here but what they did say was about a ( T) mark on your boundry plan that say your responsable for that fence . who put up the origanal wire fence ?

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---) CARL (----
ILFRACOMBE
NORTH DEVON

a seed planted today makes a meal tomorrow!

www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf

now in blog form ! UPDATED 01 / 04 / 08

Hi

OMG

Can you look at the planning permission given on the website; on our they scan in the application. Surely to goodness they can't just change from hedge to that fence.

I mean - is it really necessary for them to build that?

I hope you can do something about it.

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Andrea :wavehello

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...logs/zazen999/

moon trials completed:
tomatoes
[46% increase in crop per seed sown and 10% increase in crop per plant]

currently underway:
calabrese
garlic

http://linearlegume.blogspot.com/

The builders were rather naughty and I am sure if you raised the issue with your neighbours they would sort out the rubbish issue. As for the view, as the land was there it was always likely to be built on or developed so a fence is better than a block of flats which seem to go up on most sites in Leicester or a row of leylandii, however, that doesnt replace your view.

So, look on the bright side, Most people would kill for a boundary fence like that. You could espalier all sorts of fruit along it or if inclined, still plant a screen this side of it to soften it up some. Not ideal I know but its there so try and use it to your advantage.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

What a shame OVG to loose your lovely view, but I doubt there's anything you can do about it. As Piglet says, make the best of it and create your own view. You could grow fabulous stuff round that fence your neighbours have provided you with. I would try to see it that way - or move. Have you still a good view from an upstairs window. Can you capitalise on that ? I hope it all works out for you.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

I remember you posting about this last year. I guess you lost the fight with the planners then. I am so very sorry for you.

To my mind there is no excuse for just chucking the old fence down, it's the final insult. These people have demonstrated they have no respect for you. I think you might consider sighting a cockerel and some guinea-fowl as close to their bedroom as possible!

No Paul, I'm afraid you have no rights to a view (I've had this argument with the council before)

PgW is right you do need to look at life's disasters as an opportunities, and I'm sure you can mellow it with planting, but all that must be little consolation at the moment.

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul

more bad news i'm afraid , after reading the law forum posted yesterday if you don't own the fence than you can not attach things to it or paint it or alter the colour in any way , and they can also paint it any colour they want on your side but they must have permission to come on your land to do it.
The reason the fence has the posts on your side is because the builders did not have to step on your land to erect the fence that way there was no permission needed.

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---) CARL (----
ILFRACOMBE
NORTH DEVON

a seed planted today makes a meal tomorrow!

www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf

now in blog form ! UPDATED 01 / 04 / 08

This is very sad and the worse sort of bad neighbourly conduct. If somebody did that here there would be riots in the village, the regulations on hedge/fence heights are very strict and well observed, if not you get a visit from - me actually. A new Brit family in the village have bought a house with a Leylandii fence which has grown over 2m high and is blocking their neighbour's view and I've had to ask them to cut it to the regulation height. And it has to be two meters from the boundary line so you can get to maintain a fence or cut the hedge, much different from the UK.

When you've had a chance to think about it, I'd be inclined to ignore the strict letter of the law and grow stuff up it - in a couple of years it could be covered in fruit bushes and trees, climbing plants etc etc. Time to close your eyes and imagine I think.

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TonyF, Dordogne 24220

Oh dear, I have every sympathy with you. Make sure the neighbours take responsibility for the rubbish - they might not even know what the builders have done.

I do wonder about people who want such solid boundaries between themselves and the lovely countryside which they presumably moved in order to enjoy.

Ask them if you could paint your side - if you're planting in front of it, a dark green fades into the background much better than any of the strident orange/browns that seem to be on the market.

Good luck.

What a shame you've lost that lovely view. Would definitely approach them about removing the old fence themselves or paying to get it done, their builders at the very least should have left it piled up in one corner not strewn all the way down your property. Will they be happy to receive a vets bill if one of your animals is injured on it?

Agree with everyone else in that would replace one lovely view with another of your own making.

Maybe you can't attach stuff to it but I would be tempted to grow a 'fedge' on the inside. This decreases your acreage slightly but you'll get birds nesting, fruits from the hedge, a much softer view. You do have maintenance - hedge cutting etc - but you won't be looking at acres of raw wood.

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

If I remember it right- The proposed siting of the garage and stable block was precisely because it would ruin your view and not theirs anyway. I am sure this was spite because you objected in the first place. I don't subscribe to the 'they didn't know what the cowboys did with the old fence' notion. nor, by the trampled ground, that they did not trespass to erect it.

I wouldn't let them on your land to paint it, (it should silver with age anyway) or even remove old fence now (although you might invoice them for removing it) if it was their stock fence I suspect or you could sling the whole lot back over. Really though, you are far better not to give them the satisfaction of knowing its irritating you further....f*ck 'em... I am a great believer in Karma, maintain you dignity, try not to be upset(or show it) and fate has the strangest way of dealing with these things...every dog has his day.

I can perhaps see that even living in an orange crate is preferable to a cypressa hedge. I'm with Tony on this one, I'd not worry to much about the legalities of planting next to it. If you are really concerned you might put you own post and wire structure up and then anchor it off theirs in a couple of years...but what are they going to do about it anyway? are your sides south and west facing? if so bingo!

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul

Thanks guys.... the fence they took down was an old scratty shared-ownership fence; I would just have expected them to get rid of the debris. On closer inspection, a lot of cut-offs from the new fence are also in our field/garden. I would have at least expected it to be neatly piled up.

We're leaving it for today, and seeing if their builders (who are doing other work on the land, stables and the like) come back and remove it. We'll give them the benefit of the doubt for 24hrs. Then Mr OWG is going to go round and politely ask them to move it.

We were hoping for a native-species hedge, to be honest. But apparantly, they wanted to plant conifers/leylandii and the council wouldn't let them (phew!). Mature hedging would "cost too much money", so they got the fence put up.

The council (and planning department) don't recognise "loss of view" in any way, shape or form. Providing the fence/screening/hedging is 2m or less and not "stealing" anyone's land, you can put up what you like.

The worst bit is that it's a very nice, solidly constructed fence. I'd be happy to have it down either side of my garden instead of the privet/leylandii we have. It's just at the bottom that it really annoys me

I plan to extend our orchard into that part of the garden a bit, with a sweet almond tree and a couple of cherry trees, and maybe a nice bench to sit on

Mr OWG has visions of a new polytunnel and greenhouse in the field, then we can seperate our garden into 2 halves a bit more.

Of course, they're all long term plans, as we don't have nearly enough money to make the kind of changes we'd like to. (Next doors stables/sand paddock/garage building work is costing them upwards of £50k )

Mind you, at least we won't have their dogs or chickens in our field anymore....

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"Its not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you" - Bruce Wayne

I'm with Flummery on this.
We have a rather dull fence separting us from our sole neighbours. We planted trees beside it and where no trees.. climbing shrubs which hide the outline.

It's not your fault if climbing shrubs climb over the fence:-)

I can recommend ivy as well ...

OWG., I feel for you, we had similar happen. 15ft from our lounge window was a lovely tall green hedge with lots of birdies. Came home one evening to a horrid flat tall wooden fence that looks like your one! had been put up by nieghbours I was gutted and mourned the loss of the hedge. Took a year to finally come to terms with it. how about some tender fruit trees growing against fence, lot of shrubs for the birdies. grapevines, figs, apricots, cherries
I know this won't help you at the moment. Somehow even though I thought iI NEVER would get over the wooden fence, I did get use to it! Don't know how or when.
I really really do feel for you, HF xx

try variegated eunonymous.. looks nice and climbs.