Planning row after woman erects fence 'because of dog fouling problem'

A pensioner who moved her garden fence to take in open grass beside her house said she had to because people were leaving dog excrement in “double figures” on the land before she took action.

Susan Gibson was refused planning permission for the fence which she installed at her Bonnyrigg home after the original was blown down in high winds earlier this year.

At the time Midlothian Council planners objected because she had extended the fence out to include part of her garden which had been outside its perimeter and raised the height from one metre to 1.8 metres.

However in an appeal, set to go before the council’s Local Review Body next week, the home owner claims she had been left unable to maintain the exposed land because of the amount of dog feces, litter and damage caused by passers by.

And she said she had used the last of her saving to install the replacement fence adding she was not able to afford to change it now.

In an appeal statement to the review body Ms Gibson said removing the fence from her property on Chester View would leave her unable to continue to maintain the land “given the mistreatment it receives from the passing public as it has had dog excrement in double figures on a daily basis”.

She said: “The original fence stood for 32 years but earlier this year when it blew down in the high winds I took the opportunity to replace it and move it to incorporate land at the side that I was struggling to maintain.

“I used the last of my saving to pay for the fence to be erected and as someone living on a pension I don’t have the finances to move the fence to its original position, due to high costs of living.”

Planners received three objections to the repositioned fence with complaints about its impact on the look of the street and size.

At the time of the original application for retrospective permission for the fence planners had also pointed out the new fence should have had hedgehog holes, which are now standard practice, included to allow the wildlife to pass through gardens.

However Ms Gibson said she could not include them as she had a small dog herself who could escape through them

Rejecting planning permission for the new fence, officers said: “The fence is highly visible and a very prominent and stark feature at the entrance to this part of Chester View totally out of keeping with the character of and detracting from the visual amenity of this area.”

The review body will meet to discuss the appeal next week.