Neighbours ugly fence

[FenceDispute]

We have new neighbours, They have a field that runs alongside the back of our property and about 10 other houses, For many years the field was used for silage by the previous owner and most people have low 3ft fences to make the most of the countryside views.
The new people however have decided to turn it into an equine property, and keep horses on the field which no-one objects to. What we do object to though is the fencing they have used. Instead of traditional post and rail that is fitting for the environment they have used commercial grade green metal fencing similar to that used at inner city schools, prisons etc. It is not over 2 metres so technically planning permission isn't needed. They have put this fence at the bottom, as close as possible to the bottom of peoples gardens, to the extent when there is no hedge they've gone in a couple of foot to grab that bit of land as well!!
We all have incredibly shallow gardens so myself and various others now look out our back windows onto this monstrosity, not in keeping with a rural village and frankly makes it feel like we are in a prison.

They have enclosed 7 acres, I cant anticipate them simply changing it because we ask them nicely - Other than close our gardens off at great expense erecting our own fences what the hell can we do??

Op can't plant hawthorn outside her garden fence on the neighbours land. Could plant it inside their boundary though.

I was expecting a solid green fence - like Colorbond.

Bubblesbuddy said: "PP would be required for stables but the few people that have them, have had no difficulty getting that because it is seen as a reasonable if they have land."

This does vary according to location. Where I used to live in the Cotswolds, for example, the Planners have a BIG downer on equestrian use, as horse ownership is so prevalent among the area's yummy mummies that it is taking serious amounts of land out of agricultural production.

But to repeat: regardless of the designation of land use, Agricultural PD rights are predicated on reasonable necessity for agricultural use.

Yes, it's a long shot, but it's the best argument you have, in Planning terms: as others have said, you don't need that type of fencing to secure land for horses, or any other type of livestock.

I think they will argue that because their new fencing is not solid, then the loss of view objections will not be valid.

Also, how high are the residents' hedges?

Why do you want to rip your hedge out, can you not just let it grow to the same height as the new fence?

"I think they will argue that because their new fencing is not solid, then the loss of view objections will not be valid."

Loss of view objections are not valid in any case - they are not considered 'material' under Planning legislation - but visual impact is, and it would be difficult for them to argue that the level of visual and landscape impact engendered by that type of fencing is reasonably necessary.

Just to explain more, we have a low chain link fence and a hedge ourside in front of that, grown through so the chain link can't be seen. It's been there long before we moved in. Currently the new fencing is twice the size of our hedge and it will take many years for it to grow tall enough. The only way to hide the uglyness is to put a tall fence up and then grow something up the fence. As many have said we'd have to be careful what we grow directly up their wire as the horses can reach it.
Finally in terms of asking planning if what they've done is legal, we DID ask them first, they assured us it wouldn't be near people's gardens, they can be as annoyed as they like someone has reported them, had they been open and honest from the start we could have considered options LIKE fencing our side before there's went up, as I said the only way we can fence now is by pulling out an established hedge, which isn't great.
As for buying the land believe me we tried! We offered to buy it all, everyone offered to buy their bit and we offered to pay more than the seller was asking. The house it sold with is so run down the owner insisted on selling as a bolt on with the house to make it more attractive, only if the house sold without the land would he then sell to the residents. I want to be really clear, this isn't about us not getting the land, it's the fencing choice. If it was standard equine fencing there would be no complaints

It may be about the security of the horses. There have been some hideous attacks on horses recently.

If security is a concern why buy land that backs onto multiple properties? This isn't a city location, in the village there are 2 established equine properties for sale complete with stables and fenced sectioned land for rotation, there was 3 until a month ago, all of which have no neighbouring properties as the fields are surrounded by farms

In a similar situation I planted bamboo 'winter joy' (non invasive, clump forming) and a willow fedge. Cost 200 and is very effective.

I really think you could plant a fairly high beech or mixed hedge (4ft) to begin with and the fence will be lost from view in a couple of years. Bamboo is not suitable in the countryside.

You really cannot complain about how people choose to sell their property. If they include land with it, that’s up to them. It sounds like massive sour grapes and you should have bought the whole lot of you wanted to take control of it. You didn’t. You also expect the new owners to have purchased a different property which were presumably more expensive. I have no doubt that if you had offered the owner of the land an offer they couldn’t refuse, they would have snapped your hand off. I guess you didn’t. A decent paddock attached to a house is a valuable asset so I don’t blame the owner at all if they maximised the selling price. What would you have done in the same circumstances? Be a charity?

I tend to agree that post and rail is more attractive and it’s what I have. However, it has higher maintenance costs and isn’t as secure for the horses.

Just put in a suitable hedge such as beech, hawthorn and hornbeam and get over it. It’s way better than solid fencing. You will still see birds and lovely hedges are a haven for wildlife.

If it's on their land, then they can put up an ugly fence. So can you!

Check with the land registry to see if they have encroached on your land. If they have, then you can sue them for trespass.

Is your hedge a privet hedge or something else that is poisonous to Horses? If so, you might want to warn them that horses may still be able to eat/lick through their fence as it is so close. Suggest that they might want to move their fence back a metre to ensure this can't happen in the future.

Bubbles buying the house wasn't an option, I can assure you the offer to buy the land was far more than he was selling it for with the house. It had 2 prices one with land, one without.
Not sour grapes, the issue is the fence NOT that we couldn't buy it. I'm simply saying buying wasn't an option.
Yes we can grow our hedge taller, but it will take years to get it to 2 metres. We have a mixed native hedge mostly Hawthorne and of no risk to the horses.
You're very quick to say bamboo isn't right in the countryside and I agree, but neither is this fencing! If the enforcement officer deems there is nothing they can do in regard to the fencing then I will have to accept that and I will put a fence up tall enough to disguise it. There will however be no neighbourly relations, which is a shame because on a whole this is a fantastic village

OP - you wrote this....

" . It's like the somme out there so the horses were leaning into gardens and nibbling hedges. "

So erm, that's why they've put up fencing they can't lean over.

Or am I missing something???

Hurting heart - the issue ISNT a fence, its the type of fence.
I popped round to see them this weekend to find out they've gone on holiday. Brilliant timing, put up ugly fencing, leave and hope its all calmed down when you get back!

I've had the weekend to calm down and relax, I realise it isn't the loss of view, it really is what the new view is.
The fence is ugly and it is out of place.

Hello @FenceDispute , sorry to bump an old thread but I am in the same situation as you were in 2018, and I wonder what came of it. We're actually in the process of selling the house, and the farmer just put up an ugly tall fence for equestrian use, just half a metre distance from our short picket fence. I am quite desperate really, as the best thing about this house was the view.