A GROUP of residents say they’re at their wit’s end after a neighbour built not one but two privacy fences.
The furious locals live on a conservation street and say the new wooden structures block their views – including when they try to safely drive out onto the road.
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The residents say not only are the fences a hazard, they don’t think neighbour Paul Mair took into consideration their street has style rules.
Mair has built four fences out the front of the two properties he owns on the same road in St Albans, Herts.
The group say they were never consulted – and this isn’t the first time they’ve had run-ins with him.
Matt Adams lives opposite Mair and says he watches his neighbours struggle to get out their driveways.
The dad-of-three told The Sun: “The first fence blocked off the view, you couldn’t see if you came to pull out the driveway, so it was dangerous.
“But also this is a Victorian terrace and it’s completely transformed the aesthetics. It’s a conservation area.
“He’s never really engaged with anyone around here.”
Matt said Mair had also built a fence at his other rental property just meters away.
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His partner, Hillary Childs, echoed Matt’s concerns.
She said: “The second part of the fence is still really high, and the people who live there can’t get their bins out when their cars are in the drive. There have been problems, loads of problems.”
She claimed they live on a conservation street, which means their houses aren’t supposed to be altered.
Matt’s partner said that others on the street had changed their windows to anthracite, but were forced to change them back.
She said: “It’s really important to keep these houses as they’re meant to be.”
Another resident, who wanted to be anonymous, said she came back from holiday to find the “two-metre” fence in place.
The woman said: “He built it while I was on holiday, it was a higher fence than what it is now. Two metres high.
“It caused a lot of uproar on Facebook, so he replaced with a new fence.
The first fence blocked off the view, you couldn’t see if you came to pull out the driveway, so it was dangerous.
Matt Adams
“He owns two properties on this road and erected one on another property, he didn’t notify any of the neighbours, didn’t knock on our doors or have a conversation with us.”
The woman said she didn’t understand why the fences, which sit between neighbour’s properties, were there.
She continued: “What purpose does it serve? None. I think the excuse he gave to one of the neighbours was, oh, it’s so that there’s no bumping of cars.
“We’ve got more than enough space, that’s never been a problem. No one’s ever encroached on his driveway.
“This has all happened very recently, I’ve lived here for years and never had any problems.
“The whole street complained about it and put objections in.”
St Albans District Council’s conservation area regulations said the “character” of property additions must be in keeping with the design of the street.
It states: “New development in the conservation area is expected to be to a high standard of design to ensure that the character and appearance of the conservation area is preserved or enhanced.”
The Sun contacted Mair for comment but he did not respond.
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
