RESIDENTS have been left fuming with their neighbour's “unacceptable” fence and fear it is so dangerous it could kill someone.
in Horsham, West , are not happy with a newly approved 1.8m wooden boundary fence at the entrance of their street.
Locals fear the at the already tricky junction with Water Lane – a busy road where whizz past at speed.
And they claim it’s only a matter of time before there's a on the road in Storrington.
The by Horsham District Council on April 7 despite push back from residents.
It is part of an scheme put forwards by the owners of a on the road to extend their garden.
This would happen by swallowing up a bit of scrubland and repositioning a not-yet-built garage, reports The Argus.
But disappointed all from the same road have fired off ten separate letters of objection to the council.
One local said: “Erecting a 1.8m fence will create a potentially dangerous situation for pedestrians and motorists using the entrance of the lane and also the pedestrian entrance of Sandgate Park.”;
Another fed up objector warned: “The fast-moving traffic poses a significant problem.
“The view will be even further curtailed by the proposed fencing, and thus it poses an increased hazard to traffic wanting to turn on to Water Lane. This is unacceptable to residents.”;
A third blasted the council’s approval of the fence, calling the junction a “surprisingly busy”; spot.
They revealed that the community had already seen a collision between a car and a dog in the area.
They added: “It’s heavily used by dog walkers, runners, and residents turning in and out.
“It’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt.”;
And another told planners that people already struggle to stay safe on the narrow stretch.
They said: “There are very limited places for pedestrians to pull in. Many, rightly or wrongly, use the verge alongside Harleydene to get clear of passing traffic.
“Reducing their options is likely to cause congestion – as well as being a safety concern.”;
Storrington and Sullington Parish Council also objected, highlighting safety and visibility concerns.
County Council (WSCC) Highways noted two recorded collisions within the vicinity of the site in the past five years.
However, they said these were “not attributed to the use of the existing access.”
“Therefore, there is no evidence to suggest the existing access onto Water Lane has been operating unsafely”, they concluded.
One nearby resident disputed this, stating: “The accidents at the junction referenced by WSCC Highways have only occurred since the new area of Sandgate Park was opened and the pedestrian usage and parking in the area increased significantly.
“In both incidents, the accidents were not minor, and cars were severely damaged, resulting in cars needing to be towed away as they were undriveable.”
Despite the storm of complaints, the land already belongs to the applicants – and their plans have officially been approved as “appropriate”.
Ultimately, the planning committee decided that the proposed fencing would “clearly define the new garden boundary while maintaining the visual quality of the site”.
Storrington and Sullington Parish Council have been contacted for comment by Flying Eze.
