To feel sad when you see another 'gated' house

[ChiantiShire]

There seem to be more and more where I live in the South of England. I also spend a lot of time in the Italian lakes region where every villa is gated. I don't blame people for having a large security gate fitted but it feels like something is being sucked out of the community that will never come back.

Ours are not that keep anyone out, as I said people have the right to roam on our land so it would be a pointless exercise. More to keep animals and children in.

We have a high gate. It is great for us because we have dogs and a very fast toddler and it leads onto a busy lane that all the locals use as a cut through to town. Low, country gate wouldn't work for us because the dogs would just jump over it.

More to keep us in than others out I guess! Dog found a gap round the side once and nearly caused an accident. (Thankfully all ok and we blocked the gap).

Why are so many private roads in such a shocking state of disrepair? It's as if people living on thesd roads, who otherwise say what a community they are, can't agree with each other how to pay for the upkeep.

We live in a very low crime rural area, all of the smarter homes have gates, not for the elderly, mainly because people have dogs.
I have a gated entrance because when i bought the house people would drive down our drive and use my driveway as a turning or parking area, which used to pi** me off.
It has also made the house look considerably smarter.

Philoslothy

The right to roam in Scotland doesn't extend to walled gardens though - that is still trespass

Still remember the mystery of the random car on Pag's drive but can't remember who it turned out to be!

I'd put massive fuck off gates up if my property was in any way suitable. I'd love to keep everyone else out but I'm an anti social old bugger.

Sorry I am being lazy in my use of language, I am not in Scotland. I do love going there though because of the right to roam.

We have a footpath going over our land, there is also a history of locals using our land before we built our house. Therefore people walk on the path that cuts through our property and often drift from the path,

I knew that when we bought the land and therefore it would be wrong to stop them now.

I am also a believer in the idea that the land belongs to the people and that people like us should not be able to carve it up among ourselves for our private use.

I live in one of "those" developments listed above. It's not gated but I would love it to be gated so the children could play out more safely. They do play out at the minute but have to be watched as there's a lot of traffic nearby and through the development.

Would really love to have the benefits of a gated community.

It's a hassle having your washing stolen, back sheds broken into and having to chain garden furniture and plant pots down.

I've even had my flowers pinched from the front garden.

Parking is a nightmare here too.

I'm not going to worry till I see heads on spikes on Tower Hill. Then, I'll think we've gone a bit far. I saw a wonderful architectural plan for a workhouse, the other day. Very instructive use of communal areas. Pity we've lost the recipe for gruel. But, I'm sure the Camerons can dig one up.

Make a nice feature for the Telegraph, Samantha makes gruel in Ed's downstairs kitchen.

We are considering buying a property in a gated community - not posh houses though, just a small development in town. The gates are there to stop shoppers parking in the spaces designated for the houses. I think it's lovely, makes a nice quiet oasis on the outskirts of town. Previously was a strip of unused land that had gone to disrepair and was fenced off, so also improved the area. I personally like the gated aspect and really fancy having a fob to get in.

The quiet oasis will become a claustrophobic enclave in no time at all. I don't live in one, a friend does.