Couple must pay £600 after refusing to demolish 'ugly' fence

Carl Milakovic (53) and his wife Slavica (54) must pay more than £600 between them, after they failed to get planning permission for a fence that upset the neighbours - and then refused to demolish it.

The Express and Star reported that the couple, from Hednesford in Staffordshire, had fashioned their own style of fence. Lollipop man Carl had chopped down a row of trees - leaving 6.5 feet stumps. They then made a fence using the stumps as uprights and erecting planks in between.

It's certainly a striking look - and rises impressively above more the traditional fence erected by their neighbours. However, the back that faces the neighbours is decidedly less attractive than the side facing the couple's garden - something that isn't helped by the fact that the backs of the planks are painted black.

Row

The neighbours asked the council to step in, and in October they ruled the fence was of 'non standard construction' and should come down. The couple refused, so on December 7 they were given a final warning. They still failed to demolish the fence, and now face a fine of £60, costs of £285 each and a £20 surcharge. After the ruling, Carl replaced the fence.

The Daily Mail reported that things went so far, because Carl didn't think anyone had the right to dictate what kind of fence he put up - as it was in his garden.

Fence spats

He's not the first person to get into hot water over a fence. There have been a handful of fence spats in the last few weeks alone.

Most recently, it was reported that Robbie Williams had planned a fence along the driveway of his £9 million mansion in Wiltshire. However, the parish council objected on the grounds that it wasn't in keeping with the area. The decision is now in the hands of the town council.

Earlier this month, Broadchurch actress Eve Myles was ordered to take down a seven-foot fence at the front of her Cardiff home. She had added the fence to the top of a wall for privacy - and hadn't realised she needed planning permission. She applied retrospectively, but the neighbours complained.

In April, a couple were forced to demolish a high fence they had installed around their property - to protect their son who has Downs Syndrome and loves climbing and cars. They fought it on safety grounds, and lost.