Family’s Appeal for Fence near Busy Road Dismissed by Planning Inspector

A FAMILY has failed in a second chance bid to keep a fence between their front garden and a busy road. 
A council had already ordered the 1.98 metres high fence put up to enhance security for their children and the family dog would have to come down. 
But mum Sophie Daly launched an appeal to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, PEDW, which has the power to overturn the council’s decision to refuse retrospective planning permission for the fence that was put up between February and April last year. 
Ms Daly said she didn’t believe the council, which rejected her application to keep the fence in November, had properly considered the arguments she put forward to keep the fence at her home on St Lawrence Road, in Chepstow close at the junction of the busy A48 and the Heighbeech Roundabout. 
She stated in her appeal: “Without the fence and gates it would not be possible for my children to play outside or for my dog to be exercised securely within our own property.” 
But her plea was dismissed by independent planning inspector G Hall who upheld the decision by Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee to refuse the application. 
The timber fence had replaced a former boundary hedge which inspector Hall acknowledged “attracted significant littering” and said they’d been told “hazardous items including needles” had been found within it when it was removed. 
But despite saying “correspondence from medical and education professionals” supporting Ms Daly’s personal circumstances, safety and security concerns, supported “carried significant weight” Hall backed the council’s arguments the fence was visibly unacceptable. 
Hall’s report stated: “There is no substantive evidence before me to indicate that the appellant’s objectives in respect of safety and security could not be achieved through alternative boundary treatments or other measures that would be less visually intrusive and more consistent with the prevailing character of the area.  
“In the overall planning balance, while I attach significant weight to the appellant’s personal circumstances, they do not outweigh the identified conflict with the development plan and national policy. I am therefore satisfied that it is proportionate and necessary to dismiss the appeal.” 
Hall said the fence was at odds with the character of the area, a gateway to Chepstow and said they didn’t accept painting it would alter their conclusion. Hall said: “By reason of its height, length and close-boarded form, the fence is visually dominant and incongruous in the street scene, eroding the established character of this gateway approach.” 
Hall also accepted removing the hedge adversely impacted biodiversity and the bird box and bug hotel proposed didn’t make up for that loss. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​