We bought a house a year ago, right next to a school. We knew it would be busy in the road in the mornings and afternoons but thought "what the heck", we would just avoid going out/coming in at those times.
We bought the house specifically because it had a large garden. We have a ds who has AS and wanted him to have lots of space to play/chill out. We cannot let him out in the road to play with other children, so thought great, get a big garden and he has room to do what he wants and can relax.
The right hand boundary of our garden overlooks their playing fields. It is a lovely green view. A few days ago, a load of diggers turned up. They are putting a new pathway from the front of our house, alongside our boundary to the school. Now, part of me agrees that there needs to be a new pathway because traffic congestion in this road is awful and if it helps alleviate the road rage in the mornings, good! But, part of me is absolutely devastated. We shall have no privacy whatsoever now. The school did not even have the curtesy of notifying us and we are the ONLY neighbours affected by this.
I rang the Council and apparently it is part of their "permitted development" and needs no planning consent or neighbour notification. The Council apologised on behalf of the school in writing for their lack of manners! They said it was not a very good example of a PR exercise. (They had to reply in writing because I emailed them).
I want the school to pay for a 6ft fence alongside the said boundary. At the moment there is a 3ft wire mesh fence which belongs to then so we will be oggled by all and sundry. The actual playing fields that we overlook are only used half a dozen times a year at the moment.
It disturbs me as well that between 8.15am and 9.15am we will not have any privacy and then again from 2.45pm and 4.45pm. The times are because there are infant, junior and senior school children that would use the path and the school gates will not be closed until 6pm at night when the caretaker goes home. I say 4.45pm because that is the latest the senior school children are allowed to be in school. DS will NOT want to go out in the garden if he thinks others can see him. He has a horrible time at school as it is, and if the bullies find out that they can walk past our garden now, he will be devastated. They can touch the fence from the path if they wanted too.
Now, am I being unreasonable to ask the school to erect a 6ft fence or even to consider some payment towards it? We could not possibly afford it all at the moment.
I did mention to the council planning officer that what happens when the children see me topless in the garden? He said he could not possibly comment on that!.
I feel that strongly about it that I think I would go topless in the garden!!!! I would not be breaking any laws going topless (breasts are for feeding according to the House of Lords and not obscene) but I know the other mothers would call me names but when you have had to fight for a AS ds for years, you get to the stage where you don't give a stuff what people think! I say that, but I do really care and I want the school to be reasonable on this. Has anyone got any suggestions at all please? Or am I totally unreasonable?