Climbing Frame and Privacy

[HappyKite2067]

We don’t want to be ‘those neighbours’ but our neighbours have put a climbing frame for their children right next to our fence. We now constantly have little faces popping up over our (2m) fence and looking straight onto our patio area and into our kitchen.

Their garden is probably 4m x 6m at a push, so I think anywhere in the garden would probably intrude.

We really want children to make use of a garden, we don’t mind noise (and they are noisy!) and we don’t even mind the occasional ball being kicked over- but this is our privacy now.

Anyone been in this position before? I imagine they are unlikely to take down.

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.

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

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.

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?

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?

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

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.

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 😎

Haha! Win win.

Just need to put a hat on.......🙊

Well they could b very strict with heir kids to just climb and not bother the neighbours?

My son and next door's little girl love to chat and climb up to see each other over the fence, and they do have playdates, but the merest whisper of her parents wanting her in the house and I take my son away, same on the other side.

The time to worry is when the Mum and Dad start using the climbing frame.

It's much the same living next to a house with a trampoline - little faces popping up over the fence every few seconds. I don't think this is something you can really police beyond the usual asking parents to steer them away. Some people are more consider neighbours than others, so it's worth trying to talk to them, but I don't think a climbing frame counts as a building so I wouldn't exert energy on official channels.

We had neighbours who let their kids climb onto their garage roof and sit there swearing at us, so I get how annoying it is.

You could also look at one of those giant umbrellas or sails that you might be able to mount between your boundary and the patio, to block their view. It's all about the angles.

Collapsible rectangular fan awning on the top of your fence is what you need. You can fold it out when the kids are on the climbing frame and retract it when they're not.

Tbh you could pretty much make one yourself. Nail some tarp to two timber battens and attach a couple of brackets to your fence. If the kids are annoying you, just unfold the tarp and pop the timber battens in the brackets.

Take up naturism they'll soon stop.

It's completely creepy how many people think exposing themselves to children is the answer to this problem.

Comes up in Every. Single. Thread pertaining to privacy. Not remotely funny.

Get a water pistol and squirt them each time their annoying little heads pop up.

Are you mad? This sounds like great entertainment for the summer holidays, the kids would love that.

Someone mentioned bamboo which is a great idea, it grows like crazy and you will have privacy in no time, just be prepared to keep on top of it though as it grows really fast

Why?

The parents are risking the children seeing what their NDN are doing when they choose to allow their children to be able to see over the privacy fence.

There is a reasonable expectation to have privacy in the OPs home and to a lesser extent in the OPs back garden. Sometimes the privacy is establised by the conduct of the NDNs.

Respecting that as far as possible is part of the social contract of Urban living. The NDN decided that the OPs privacy was not important and that their children can take their chances as what the children see.

It could be the OP or her family/friends going about their daily business in a wholesome way. Or that they may be being naked, or having sex on the kitche table, or watching sex on a massive TV screen or just having a glass of wine in the garden without feeling like a Zoo exhibit.

The parenting remains the responsibility of the NDN.

And lets all be honest
The OP is a "nice NDN" because if she was creepy and likely to ever expose herself for sexual pleasure there is no way that NDN would even dream of putting up a climbing frame.

Garden sail? 3m sun umbrella angled at the fence?

What makes you think that?

Think yourself lucky OP… our NDN have the same, but also their best friends live behind us - so not only do they climb up and look into our garden and kitchen but they also yell loudly to their mates behind us to see if they are free to come over. Quite often the two sets of kids climb back and forth between the two gardens, basically across the corner of our garden. I wouldn’t mind so much if they were quiet about it but they’re not 😟

Definitely bamboo (but in pots else it will take over)