Sheila Parkinson says it is ‘horrible’ having the structure outside her window (Picture: GrimsbyLive/MEN Media)
A pensioner has been left outraged at her neighbour’s newly installed ‘big fence’.
Sheila Parkinson, 75, says she is ‘going mad’ over the wooden structure between the two homes.
She claims the 6ft fence is not only blocking her view, but also resulting in higher energy costs.
Sheila, of Grove Crescent in Grimsby, says the amount of natural light in her home has been limited.
She told Grimsby Live: ‘There’s a fence in my front window and there’s reduced daylight coming in. When it was put up in October I sat down in my room and thought, “I can’t see anybody out there”. It’s depressing me, if I’m honest.
‘If I didn’t have friends and my daughter supporting me I think I would’ve gone mad. You would’ve gone mad in this house, and with it getting colder now you can’t go out as much.
‘When you sit down on the sofa and you look out the window, you can’t see anything. I’m 75 and I’m on my own a lot of the time and it’s horrible. I’m having to keep the light on a lot of the time and I don’t like it because it’s using my electricity and it will cost me.
‘I usually go out because I think, “I can’t sit here all day”. I usually go for a walk or to town or something like that because otherwise I’d go mad. I don’t mind there being a big fence, but just not right in front of my window.’
The 6ft fence outside Sheila Parkinson’s home in Grimsby (Picture: GrimsbyLive/MEN Media)
She added: ‘I have to go outside onto my drive to see down the street.’
According to national planning permission guidelines, householders are not required to apply for planning permission if a fence that is not next to a highway does not exceed two metres in height.
Therefore, the fence is not believed to be in breach of these guidelines.
Sheila said she has contacted North East Lincolnshire Council about the situation three times and has been told each time that someone will attend her property to speak to her, but a visit has never materialised.
The 75-year-old says the fence is limiting her natural sunlight (Credits: GrimsbyLive/MEN Media)
In response, a spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council’s delivery partner EQUANS said that ‘due to circumstances beyond [their] control’ an initial planned visit to Sheila’s home had to be delayed.
They said: ‘This issue was first reported to our planning team on October 24 this year and there has already been discussions between the reporter of the works and the enforcement officer. Unfortunately, due to circumstances that were beyond our control, an initial planned visit had to be delayed.
‘However, that has now been resolved and the appropriate officer has made contact again and a replanned visit has been arranged.’
Prior to publication Sheila’s neighbour was contacted by Grimsby Live but did not wish to comment on the matter.
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Sheila Parkinson has taken umbrage with her neighbour’s ‘big fence’.
