A Hampshire couple is frustrated after their neighbor erected a tall spiked fence, ruining their garden and blocking sunlight.
New Milton: A couple in Hampshire is feeling pretty upset. Their new neighbor, Deborah Olthof, just put up a massive three-meter fence with spikes. They’re calling their garden “Colditz,” which is a bit dramatic but you get the point.
Alison and Ian Lawrence, who just spent a fortune on their garden, say this fence has ruined everything. They claim it went up without any permission, and it’s just plain ugly. They’re not happy at all.
After a bit of back and forth, the local council let Ms. Olthof keep the fence. But the Lawrences are fuming. They feel like the council didn’t care about their concerns at all.
Ms. Olthof moved into her fancy four-bedroom home earlier this year, and soon after, the fence went up. The Lawrences say it’s way too tall and casts a shadow over their garden, making it feel cramped.
Alison said, “It’s ruined our property. Who would want to buy a house with that monstrosity next door?”
To make matters worse, the fence has these little plastic spikes on top, which just adds to the whole “prison vibe.”
She mentioned that the fence is so high they can’t even clean their gutters properly. It’s a real hassle for them.
In October, Ms. Olthof asked for permission to keep the fence, and the council said yes. But the Lawrences are still scratching their heads, especially since the council had previously objected to it.
Alison is determined to take this further. She feels like they’re living in a fortress and can’t even see the road properly when they back out of their driveway.
They’re planning to report this to the government ombudsman because they feel completely ignored. Meanwhile, Ms. Olthof insists she has all the right permissions and that the council is happy with the fence.
The council has said they looked into the design and impact of the fence carefully. They also mentioned that if the Lawrences are still unhappy, they can go through the complaint process.
