A RESIDENT whose fence is said to be spoiling the street scene will be forced to reduce its height if councillors give the go-ahead to enforcement action.

The 1.8 metre fence has been used to enclose a semi-detached house in Badgeney Road, March, which abuts the car park of the Co-op food store.

The retrospective planning application is before Fenland District Council’s planning committee at the request of council leader Alan Melton to assess the impact of the fence on the street scene.

Householder Mark Driver wants to keep the fence as it is. Permission was refused in May 2008 and that decision was upheld on appeal in November of that year.

Mr Driver’s agent, Morton and Hall Consulting Ltd, was asked to seek amendments to the submitted scheme which would have meant the lowering of the fence fronting onto Badgeney Road to one metre or less, and the tapering of the angled section upwards to meet the 1.8 metre part of the fence onto the Co-op car park. That suggestion has not been taken up.

Officers are recommending action should now be taken to secure the reduction of the height of the fence fronting onto the road saying it is contrary to policy to ensure all development respects the character of the area in terms of scale, style, character and locality in general.

A report says: “The boundary fence, by reason of its poor appearance, intrusive dominance and scale has a detrimental impact upon the street scene.”