Controversial fencing and stone wall for land in front of the Coach House in Sheffield given green light

Planning board members have discussed a proposal to accept an application for the use of a strip of land as part of residential curtilage for the Coach House on Dobbin Hill with associated landscaping including the building of a boundary wall and estate fencing, as well as soft landscaping.

A document said that the plan includes the stone wall being built around 75 per cent of the grass verge that houses a lamppost, bollards, street sign and public bin to the southern end.

The grass verge measures three metres in width at its widest point and 18 metres in length from the dwellinghouse narrowing to the highway junction.

The application has met with stark opposition. Objectors told officers that among the main issues with the application were the loss of space for dog walking, the loss of a bin and the loss of open feel.

Also, they added parking was an issue on the road and this would create a “negative impact visibility”.

Overall, 29 letters were submitted to object to the plans.

At the Sheffield City Council planning meeting, Cllr Henry Nottage from the Green Party raised the issue of potential problems around sending out the notifications properly (technical problem) – this is something the Local Democracy Reporting Service heard as well.

However, he was told that the process met the requirements.

Cllr Barbara Masters (Liberal Democrats) added she thought this would advantage one person – the owner of the property – and “disproportionate quite a few”.

At the same time, on balance, Cllr Peter Price (Labour) supported the application as the land would “look better when it’s done”, he said and added it was more likely that the owner would look after it.

At the vote, four councillors voted (plus the chair of the meeting Cllr Alan Woodcock) for the proposals with three against and two abstaining.