Climbing Frame and Privacy

Haha! Win win.

We had a similar situation, and as we were in a bungalow at the time it meant the child could see straight into our bedroom. They had a massive garden to place the climbing frame/slide but chose right next to the fence.

I mentioned it to the mum and jokingly said I hope the child doesn't see anything she shouldn't!

Shortly after that some trellis went up on her side. Not sure if it was for our benefit or the child's 😎

No, you can't. There are rules about building close to your boundary but that doesn't apply to play equipment.

You'll get used to it and the children will not be very interested in what you're up to when the novelty wears off.

It's just part of having neighbours.

I think that’s just for permanent structures - ie concreted in.

I mean, it's just a climbing frame. Presumably they could just look out of their upstairs window if the intention was to invade your privacy?

The best advice is "probably to "learn to live with it."

Some children are able to see into your garden and some windows. This is a problem why?

Does it matter? Really? Are they that interested by what's going on in your garden? Once the exciting novelty of seeing you weeding the flower beds or peeling your vegetables has worn off, how often will they bother?

You need planning permission for a fence higher than 2 metres (1 metre where abutting a highway) and that includes any trellis type topper; however the only people likely to report your fence to the planning authorities are your neighbours who also need planning permission for their structure which exceeds the 2 metre height rule within 2 metres of the fence (or does it? It doesn't need to be that high for children to stand on a platform and still be able to look into your garden and it would also depend on which way any roof is pitched).
I would suggest you make (or have made) a temporary screen using 2.5 metre posts and either a very close boarded trellis panel or a lightweight fence panel, to stand just in front of your fence. It will be a lot cheaper and higher than the planter screens you can buy.

Don't grow bamboo unless you want to spend all your time picking up the sodding leaves.

Tell the neighbours you are not happy with the placement of the climbing frame and if they can put it somewhere less intrusive.

Failing that trellisses with climbing thorny plants

Both kinds of bamboo spread but the clumping bamboo spreads at a slower pace. Either way it can become a problem. The best way around it is to grow in very large pots with a metal plate under each pot as the bamboo can break through plastic saucers/plates.

I agree with the trellis suggestion. Or bamboo ... as long as it is a non-invasive kind like Fargesia. It's worth spending a bit if money on this if you can afford to. It's an investment. A beautiful private garden makes a house much more desirable. And your can't rely on your menfolk not to wimp out of the naked gardening come the autumn.

If the neighbour have put them, knowing very well the children will look on your property, it's unlikely they will do anything anyway.

Trellis? Potted or clumping fargesia bamboo (sounds fab in a breeze). One of those sail things?
100% this
Block the view, and everybody is happy.

Are the kids really there all the time or are you just sensitised to the issue? If it’s the former, ask the neighbours what they can do to help. In the meantime, stop doing such interesting things in your garden and kitchen.

Of course the problem with growing plants as a solution to the loss of privacy is the time it takes to reach a reasonable height, so either put up a gazebo directly beside the climbing frame and block the children’s view (expensive) or put up a sail shade. They’re designed to be put at an angle and thus provide shade but there’s nothing to stop you hanging it vertically. The bonus is that they come in many colours so you can go as bright or as subtle as you choose.

My parents had this exact issue.

But it escalated from little faces looking in, to them throwing things in the garden, then calling “old people we can see you” when my parents were in their kitchen, to spraying water into their garden.

My dad went to speak to the parents on a particularly bad day but the dad was abusive and told him to go away.

So my parents put some trellis up and pots on the fence and stopped using their garden. Eventually the children grew older and they’ve outgrown the climbing frame.

There's often no easy solution to this!

The children are highly unlikely to be hanging out the windows catching the OP eyes.
And the OP should not be peeking into the NDN upstairs windows.

So the action is much less intrusive than popping up from behind a fence. Or hanging out staring in like a bored cat.

Yanbu but in all honesty it wouldn't bother me at all.

That only applies to permanent structures. I suspect for exactly this reason.

A huge gazebo or sail shade would stop them looking over

Urgh it’s horrible isn’t it. My ndn has three noisy children and a huge bright plastic slide that they sit at the top of. I sympathise!

I think the easiest solution is that your neighbour understands that they are invading your privacy so limits use to certain times of day and tells kids not to stare. Them being outside for an hour or so a day is very different to all day

I think the easiest solution is that your neighbour understands that they are invading your privacy so limits use to certain times of day and tells kids not to stare. Them being outside for an hour or so a day is very different to all day

But that won’t stop the whole family seeing you from their upstairs windows. You don’t have any privacy in your garden

You can ask anything you want. You can’t compel them to move it.

No you can’t.

Planning law has restrictions on things that need planning permission, such as sheds above a certain size made of combustible materials.

Tort law allows you to take legal action for things like persistence peeking over a fence. This is a private nuisance. But I wouldn’t recommend that. Some trellis, a climber and a bit of patience should do the trick.

There isn’t a maximum legal height. What there is is legislation on high hedges / fences above 2m that are detrimental to neighbouring properties. It’s mostly aimed at antisocial laylandii hedge owners who fail to prune their trees and allow them to grow 30ft high.

Put a 2 or 3ft trellis on top of your fence and grow a climber along it. Also, remember the kids are likely to stop using the climbing frame as much once the novelty has warn off.