Fence blocking capital view coming down

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A controversial boundary fence blocking stunning views of Wellington harbour is being dismantled.

Part of the tall wooden fence that forced Roseneath couple Peter and Sylvia Aitchison to take legal action to remove came down this holiday weekend.

Last month, the Environment Court ordered that the fence be removed.

Judge Brian Dwyer said that the adverse effects of the fence on the Aitchisons were severe, and considered to be offensive and objectionable.

Mr and Mrs Aitchison said the case had been draining: "We're that exhausted."

Last year, Mr Aitchison said that the story had been originally framed as one of flash millionaires ruining an unassuming neighbour's chances of building a children's playground.

He said the fence battle goes back 20 years, its roots in a strange old struggle between a neighbour and a long-gone property developer.

"The poles went up in March. He actually put these poles, like a hundred poles, and they sat for about a month," Mr Aitchison says.

"And then all of a sudden, three guys arrived. It went up over about ten days I guess."

Ostensibly, the structure was a kids' fort, and Wellington City Council gave it the thumbs-up.

But Mr Aitchison said that no children seemed to use the neighbouring property, where a group of agreeable young adults live.

He said that one of the tenants just "shook his head" when told about the fence saga.

Mr Aitchison said that he rang the council and was told "no, it's compliant". He said he and Sylvia eventually spent $100,000 to go to the Environment Court.

He believed the fence immediately slashed his home's value by $900,000.

Mr Aitchison said the fence existed because David Walmsley, one of the neighbouring property owners, was annoyed at the developer who built the apartment building 20 years ago, years before he and Sylvia moved in.

The latest installation is actually Fence 3.0, following earlier constructions since taken down in at the turn of the century and again in 2011.

An earlier Environment Court judgment shows the city council issued an abatement notice to Mr Walmsley in March 2011, ordering the removal of what Mr Aitchison says was Fence 2.0.

 

 

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