A retired couple in Bolton confronts demands to tear down a £4,500 seven-foot fence they installed for privacy and security after their council appeal fails.
The Fence Installation
David and Denise Hopwood, both in their mid-60s, erected a 25-meter-long grey composite fence around their property at the corner of Plodder Lane and Duchy Avenue. The barrier replaces a nine-foot hedge that became too costly and challenging to maintain amid their advancing age and health issues, including arthritis.
The annual hedge maintenance ran £800, while the new fence, featuring a one-foot trellis and gravel boards, offers low upkeep and enhanced privacy. Before installation, the couple hung blankets on their washing line to block neighbors’ views into their home.
Council Rejects Planning Permission
A neighbor’s complaint prompted the couple to apply for retrospective planning permission. Officials denied the request, citing conflicts with the area’s character and appearance.
Following a recent site visit, the council upheld the refusal in an official document listing five reasons. The fence’s position, materials, color, and dimensions create a “discordant and strident feature in the street scene,” inspectors state.
The property overlooks open countryside, contributing to a semi-rural feel. Nearby homes typically display open frontages with low walls, timber fencing, railings, or mature hedges. Positioned at the pavement’s back edge, the 2.1-meter fence appears “very prominent” along Plodder Lane and fully encloses the frontage, clashing with opposite dwellings.
The black composite panels sharply contrast the home’s red brick and adjacent low wall, officials note.
Couple’s Defense and Next Steps
David, 67, argues the decision overlooks their needs. “We both have arthritis and the hedge was out of control; we weren’t able to look after it,” he explains. “We put it up for privacy and security, as well as ideal maintenance. I feel we have been hard done by saying it doesn’t fit with the street scene. There isn’t one size that fits all here.”
He points to varied boundary treatments nearby, including a jet-black fence across the road and brick walls. “The colour is our choice; I don’t understand why it is an issue,” David adds.
Inspectors considered privacy and security concerns but found insufficient evidence that the fence’s height and materials are essential. They conclude a safer, private setup could achieve these goals with less harm to the area’s aesthetics.
No enforcement notice has arrived yet, but David anticipates it as the next step. “The whole ordeal has been very stressful,” he says. “Hopefully they will just order us to change the colour and not replace it with something else.”
