Fence too high issue too tough for council panel

THE fate of a fence at the centre of a neighbourhood dispute will be decided at a full meeting of Toowoomba Regional Council.

COMPLAINTS: This Mount Lofty property was approved through Toowoomba Regional Council for a 1.2m fence, but owners built it at 1.8m high. Picture: Contributed

THE fate of a fence at the centre of a neighbourhood dispute will be decided at a full meeting of Toowoomba Regional Council.

Council's development assessment panel made the decision at a meeting today regarding the 1.8m fence at a house in Geoffrey St, Mount Lofty.

Council planning officers received a complaint that the fence had exceeded the development application which gave the home owners permission to build a 1.2m fence.

The area is listed as a Neighbourhood Character Place.

Home owners Malcolm and Lynette Bond attended the meeting yesterday to argue their case which has been the subject of applications to council since last year.

"We very strongly need a high fence," Mr Bond said.

"One (reason) is we are getting older, we want security, security is what we need and we don't feel we are making the character overlay in any way detrimental to Toowoomba's future."

Mr Bond argued they were only on a small block of 254 sq metres and required privacy in their northern courtyard.

"If you drive up and down Geoffrey St you will see you don't even notice the fence," he said.

The application is for a request to change the development approval so that the fence can stay as it is.

Council planning officers recommended the application be refused.

Originally published as Fence too high issue too tough for council panel