A couple in Monmouth, Wales, has been instructed to install a fence to obstruct their neighbors’ view due to constructing a lavish shed in their garden without obtaining proper planning permission. The shed, featuring a floor-to-ceiling glass door, a timber pergola covering a spacious 22ft decking area, and furnished with a sofa and workstations, was built on the site of an old greenhouse in September 2023.
Following complaints from neighbors about the structure’s height, the local council intervened. The couple has now been directed to erect a ‘privacy screen’ to shield the shed from view. The applicant, Llinos Ndlovu, explained that the narrow room, designed for her and her husband to work from home, will not be used for residential purposes but solely as office space with basic amenities like electricity and internet access.
The realization of the need for planning permission came after the couple was contacted by the planning department of Monmouthshire County Council, triggered by a tip-off from a local resident. A retrospective planning application was submitted by the couple for the outbuilding and decking, which faced objections from six parties while receiving support from two neighbors.
In response to objections, local councillor Steve Garratt requested a thorough examination of the application’s “amenity impact.” Objecting neighbors raised concerns about the shed being too high and potentially intrusive, suggesting future commercial use. The planning officer, Helen Etherington, recommended approval with conditions, requiring a two-meter-high willow “privacy screen” along the boundary with the neighboring property as a mandatory measure to mitigate visual impact.
Addressing fears of potential business use, Etherington’s report clarified that the permission was strictly for residential-related activities.
