Neighbours have been left fuming after an "eyesore" fence was erected that looks like a "sheep pen" in the back garden.
Tensions boiled over when one flat owner fenced off her own section in the back garden. Residents of Goldington House, a Victorian building in Cheltenham which is split into four flats with one outside area, said the fence has sparked a huge feud.
The 1.8m high structure also resulted in the communal bin store having to move. This, residents say, has resulted in further inconvenience and frustration for the others.
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Alice Reeve, who lives at Goldington House with her elderly mother, spoke to Gloucestershire Live about the ongoing feud and the distress that it has caused. She said: "My mother and I have lived here for 35 years.
"It's a property of interest. It's a beautiful Victorian building that looks out onto Pittville Park. It's always been the case that the flats share the garden at the back. It's always worked over the years - it's a very open space."
She explained how Sarah Daly, the resident responsible for the fence, had moved in around five years ago and immediately made her intentions to have increased privacy clear. Alice said: "Over lockdown I analysed it and thought, this isn't going to work. It's such a beautiful property and I knew it wasn't going to work.
"She wants privacy but that's absolutely ridiculous. I can look out of my bedroom window and see into 'her garden'. I could also just look over the fence, so it doesn't give her any privacy really."
According to Alice, the ordeal has equally affected the other residents of Goldington House. She explained: "It's the poor neighbours that I feel sorry for. Their kitchen window now looks out onto the fence. The basement flat also now just has a view of the fence.
"I've heard people call it a depressing eyesore, a sheep pen and that sort of thing. It is absolutely horrendous and all the neighbours have screamed about it."
On the planning application submitted to Cheltenham Borough Council, the three other flats in the building objected to Ms Daly's proposal to erect the fence. The proposal was titled 'the erection of a 1.8m wooden closeboard fence to create a secure and private garden as per the block plan'.
The resident of Flat 2, Goldington House, commented on March 11: "We have lived at Flat 2, Goldington House, since 1987. The property is in a conservation area adjacent to Pittville Park, and a matter of yards from the glorious Georgian pump room. The public path through the park passes the bottom of our garden. The path offers a view of the magnificent Victorian property which is our home.
"Goldington House is listed by the council as a property of interest - a fine example of a Victorian villa. We are staggered that Miss Daly can go ahead with her project. We would like to register an official objection."
The owner of Flat 4 agreed: "I write with reference to the above issue - erection by Ms S Daly (of Flat 3) of a 1.4 m closeboard fence at Goldington House. I (as neighbour and owner of Flat 4) strongly support the objection made by (Flat 1).
"The proposed fence would be an absolute eyesore. Goldington House sits directly alongside Pittville Park, it is recorded historically as a key building in the conservation area surrounding the Pump Room. Such a fence detracts from the open gardens layout encouraged to be in character with a Victorian house.
"Current and past residents have always respected this layout. Despite requests to the applicant to adjust the fencing to a more sympathetic design - the solid, high, wooden fence has gone ahead."
Flat 1 continued: "The proposed style of fence in a conservation area adjacent to the Pump Rooms and Park is not conducive to a fine Victorian building Goldington House. It has been suggested that the fence is not as tall and is topped with lattice edging. The fence as proposed will take natural light away from the flats and in the case of flat 1 the kitchen is our most used room."
Ms Daly also filed an application for the 'erection of garden shed to the rear of existing garage' to Cheltenham Borough Council. Alice described this as 'the final straw' and, once again, the three other residents unanimously objected to the plans.
Flat 2 commented: "The shed could be put in a different position. The proposed site is currently a communal bin store for all four flats which make up Goldington House. There is no other suitable location for the bins, which have been in this position since the 1980s. Any moving of the bins will lead to problems for vulnerable, elderly and disabled residents living in the building, as well as visitors including NHS nurses. There are various other suitable locations for the shed which will not require the bins to move."
Flat 1 added: "At present, there are 3 communal waste and 1 food bin (4 flats at Goldington House) on the site the planning is being applied for. They were placed there in the 1980s by the management company Goldington Management Co Ltd (GMC) who manage the property on behalf of the 4 flats and at the same time a sturdy stone wall was erected by GMC to enclose the bins from the lawn.
"Flat 3 now wishes to remove the bins and replace them with a shed but before this can take place GMC must give consent, which to date has not been given. Each flat has 25% freehold of the GMC and 75% (3 flats) object to the bins being moved, hence we in flat 1 Goldington House with 25% object to the position of the shed in the application to replace the present communal bins."
Flat 4 said: "Objection on the basis of unsatisfactory suitable relocation of three communal refuse bins. Precedent has been set that the area has been designated a Bin Store area by Goldington Management Co Ltd since the 1980s and clearly marked on the site plan lodged at Land Registry. Location was arranged for easy access to cater for any vulnerable residents at Goldington House (four flats)."
Alice said although their objection to the shed and the consequent moving of the bins may seem petty, it will cause inconvenience to the residents. She said: "The drive is so long, and the food bins are heavy. At the end of the day we just want to get it out and it's a part of everyday life."
Alice Reeve's mother, Annie, has been equally shocked and 'disappointed' by the saga. She told GloucestershireLive : "I am so disappointed in her - that's how I feel. She can actually do this to vulnerable people. To me, I think there's greed attached to it all. I've called it a sheep pen! I've lived here for 35 years and things like this just don't happen. It's a bit of a shock."
Ms Daly was approached but refused to comment.
