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Couple rail against fence ruling
10:41am Friday 30th November 2007
As far as front garden fences go, it may not be the easiest on the eye.
But 76-year-old Sara Forzani is perfectly happy with it - metal spikes and all.
Sadly for Mrs Forzani and her 85-year-old husband Freddy, council officials don't appear to share her enthusiasm for the sturdy metal structure.
Planning chiefs at Adur District Council have demanded they take it down and instructed lawyers to take the Forzanis to court.
Mrs Forzani, of Eastern Avenue, Shoreham, said when she first moved into the terraced property four years ago there had been a wooden fence in place, which yobs nearly burned down.
She said after it was set alight with matches and scorched she decided they needed more protection and put up the galvanised steel railings and gate in its place.
Three years later the council has told the Forzanis it is too tall and its metal finish clashes with the residential row of Thirties terraced homes along the road, which all have low brick walls.
Enforcement An enforcement notice ordered them to take it down and the appeal they then lodged was dismissed by an inspector.
Now the authority said it would be taking the elderly couple to court.
Mrs Forzani said: "There is nothing wrong with the fence. It is very nice.
"One woman even stopped and asked me who did it because she liked it so much and wanted to get something similar herself.
"I do not understand why they say it is not in keeping with the area - there are plenty of similar fences all over the place.
"I cannot believe they are taking us to court. My husband has been very upset and is very nervous about it all."
A spokeswoman for the council said the fence was over one metre high so breached regulations. She said: "Since they took it to appeal and lost it is planning law that they must take it down.
"The style of the fence is considered to be out of place on the road and is just too tall.
"We have offered them lots of assistance but they have refused so we have no choice but to take the matter to court."
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Sara Forzani with the fence
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