A Nunthorpe father has been fined £180 and hit with nearly £2,000 in court costs over a garden fence dispute with the local council
Nunthorpe: A local dad has been fined after a disagreement with the council about his garden fence. Philip Hardy put up a wooden fence taller than one meter without getting the right planning permission.
The court learned that the fence blocked the view of the road for drivers. Hardy didn’t take it down when the council asked him to, which led to a trial. He claimed he later hired someone to lower the fence’s height.
The case focused on whether the council had properly notified him about the enforcement action. The magistrates showed photos proving the notice was delivered to his home on November 14, 2023. They found him guilty.
Hardy argued that his fence was the same height as his neighbors’ fences. He expressed confusion about why the case escalated. He felt he hadn’t done anything wrong.
The prosecutor disputed Hardy’s claim about lowering the fence, using a photo of a wheelie bin for comparison. The court noted that the situation worsened due to the time taken for the trial.
Hardy was fined £180 and ordered to pay the council nearly £2,000 in costs. He mentioned he was unemployed and on disability benefits, and the court allowed him to pay in installments of £20 a month.
The prosecutor warned that the guilty verdict didn’t let Hardy keep the fence as it was. Further action could be taken if the council wasn’t satisfied.