AN ENORMOUS 30ft-wide “eyesore” wooden decking covering the front garden of a flat will have to be ripped out after a council probe.
Homeowner Leon Yemm has been embroiled in the row since 2018 over the wooden platform outside his flat in Trevethin, Wales.
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His fence currently stands seven metres long and nine metres and is almost the size of half a tennis court.
Leon’s decking also features extra posts, beams and pergola – all of which have ordered to be removed along with half of the fencing.
The decking will be reduced to 3.8 metres outwards and 9.7 metres wide, which is most of the width of the property.
Four individuals wrote in to Torfaen council backing Leon’s application, with some offering to submit “written declarations” supporting the homeowner.
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However, others slammed the decking – with one labelling it an “environmental eyesore”, before adding it would be “morally wrong” to apply for planning permission post development.
“The impact on the character and appearance of the area and neighbours must be considered along with any biodiversity enhancements,” planning officer Gemma Evans said.
She added that the fencing would appear “unduly prominent” after the removal of the pergola and the size reduction.
A condition will require a woodstone nest bird box is installed in the back garden to meet “biodiversity requirements”.
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It comes after locals expressed fury after a Russian oligarch was given the go-ahead to build a fence they labelled “ugly and prison-like”.
Alexander Mosionzhik applied late last year to have a six-foot fence placed around his £2.8million Buckinghamshire mansion.
I’ve been ordered to tear down my privacy fence as it’s 82cm too tall
He argued it was for security, claiming there had been a rise in antisocial behavior – including vandalism and arson.
But the oligarch was slammed by neighbours who said the fence, which they dubbed the Berlin Wall, would be an eyesore in their posh village of Marley Bottom.
Elsewhere, devastated homeowners say their garden was flooded after new build developers threw up a massive estate next door.
Taylor Wimpey agreed to build a privacy fence around Amanda and Mick Tolhursts’ garden while they constructed homes in Uckfield, East Sussex.
But when builders dug “crater-sized” trenches surrounding the couple’s property, it triggered flooding in their garden.
Wooden decking rules
Even if your planned decked area is below 30cm tall, the size of the new outdoor space will also be under consideration.
If your decking will cover more than 50% of your garden area (including other additions and outbuildings), you will need to submit a planning application.
“In national parks the maximum area that can be covered more than 20m from your house is limited to 10m2,” Allan Jeffrey, Managing Director of Ultra Decking, told Home Building.
Why do you need planning permission for decking?
“When you come to sell your house, you will be asked if you have planning permission for the decking [if required], which can cause complications with the sale of your property if you haven’t,” Allan explained.
“Planning permission is significant for safety and to ensure your property isn’t impacting on the environment or any neighbouring properties.”
If decking has been built over the guidelines without gaining planning permission, homeowners can apply for retrospective planning permission.
However, this doesn’t guarantee that it will be approved, and if refused, the decking will have to be removed.
