A DIVISIVE fence that sparked fury among neighbours in Kenilworth is set to stay, after a dramatic planning row with council chiefs and a surprise ruling from a government inspector.
The 156 metre barrier, standing around six feet tall, was erected by Premier Garden Centre without permission in 2022 and was refused retrospective approval by Warwick District Council the following year, with planners branding it “incongruous” and “harmful” to the surrounding area.
But after a hard fought appeal and plenty of local grumbling, an inspector stepped in and overturned the decision, declaring the fence could remain, on one strict condition, that it must be painted to blend in.
In a sharply worded verdict, the inspector said the shiny metal posts and plastic tape currently tied to them were an eyesore.
The report noted: “The galvanised finish to the fence posts and the tape tied to them draw the eye and appear incongruous in this setting.”
However, repainting or powder coating the posts and removing the tape entirely would, they said, soften the visual impact, while extra landscaping would help the barrier assimilate into what was described as the “verdant setting” of the site and surrounding area.
The ruling means not only the controversial 156 metre stretch can remain, but also a further 86 metres of six foot high metal fencing included in the scheme.
Premier Garden Centre has insisted the enclosure is essential for security, surrounding a wooded plot known locally as the Kenilworth Arboretum, opposite Kenilworth Golf Club and beside newly built housing estates, which could one day become a garden centre and nursery.
But locals remain deeply divided.
One nearby resident said: “It looks completely out of place. This used to feel open and green, now it is like something from an industrial estate. Painting it will not change the fact that it should never have been put up.”
Another neighbour took the opposite view, adding: “I really do not see what all the fuss is about. If they tidy it up and plant some trees it will blend in.”
