I built a privacy fence to protect my vulnerable daughter in our garden but the council made me tear it down or face court – I was in utter disbelief

A father who built a privacy fence for his vulnerable foster daughter claims he was forced to tear it down or face legal action.

Michael, who lives in Lliswerry, Newport, was left in ‘utter disbelief’ after he received a letter complaining about the height of the fence around his front garden. 

The local authority warned him that as it was over a metre in height without the necessary planning permission that he must bring it down to the legal level of face court action. 

He said: ‘It wasn’t long up before we had a letter. I was just in utter disbelief. They gave us a deadline or said we’d be in court.’

Michael, who lives in Lliswerry, Newport, was left in ‘utter disbelief’ after he received a letter complaining about the height of the fence around his front garden. Pictured: Michael’s garden after the fence was removed

He told WalesOnline: ‘So we had no choice in the end.’We’ve had her for seven years now and she’s got a lot of issues and attachment problems and we had it so she could dance in the garden.

‘But when people walk past they would only be nice and say hello to her but she was a bit nervous. She was much happier when the fence was up.’

A council spokesperson claimed they were legally obligated to investigate a complaint. 

Angela Cureton, who lives in the same area also received an enforcement notice and decided to take her fence down completely to avoid court proceedings. 

However, she was ‘hurt’ to think that one of her long-time neighbours had complained, as she ‘knows them all very well’.

Pictured: Angela Cureton, who lives in the same area also received an enforcement notice and decided to take her fence down completely to avoid court proceedings

Angela Cureton’s house now after she was forced to take the fence down

Lianne Garnett, who lives down the road, and also received a letter from the council, blasted the ‘ridiculous’ situation. Pictured: Her fence before she altered it

 Pictured: Lianne’s fence after it was altered to be lower in line with council demands

While Lianne Garnett, who lives down the road, and also received a letter from the council, blasted the ‘ridiculous’ situation.

But still altered a part of her fence so it complies with the law. 

The other part can stay as it was as it has been there for more than four years. 

A council spokesman said: ‘Newport city council is legally obliged to investigate complaints in relation to breaches of planning regulations and, if necessary, take action including the serving of enforcement notices. 

Enforcement notices were served on two properties in the Lliswerry area after complaints about unauthorised fences were received. 

‘The council then received a large number of complaints about differing types of means of enclosures for the boundaries of properties in the area. 

‘Each was investigated but only four were found to be in breach of planning legislation. As a result enforcement notices were served in each case.’