Court Fines Couple £650 For Refusing To Tear Down 'Ugly' Fence

A dispute over an “ugly” fence has ended badly for a its owners, who’ve been hit with a £650 bill to settle and an order to tear down the offending structure.

Carl Milakovic, 52, and his wife Slavica, 54, had refused to remove the 6.5ft-tall structure from alongside their property, despite repeated complaints from neighbours.

After ignoring a final warning last year, they were called to court on Tuesday, where they were found guilty of offences under Section 215 and 216 of the Town and County Planning Act 1990 at Cannock Magistrates Court.

They were ordered to pay costs to the council in the sum of £285 each and fined £60 plus a £20 surcharge.

Not guilty: Lollipop man, Carl Milakovic, insists he has done nothing wrong (SWNS)

The court heard the couple erected the fence by the side of their home in Reservoir Road, Hednesford, Staffordshire last year.

The fence was made from wooden panels nailed to the trunks of trees that had previously formed a hedge, which Mr Milakovic spray-painted black.

Following a string of complaints from neighbours, Cannock Chase District Council ruled it was “of non-standard construction” and ordered them to remove it by October.

When they failed to take it down the council issued them a second enforcement notice ordering them to remove the fence by December 7.

JPs ruled the fence was “harmful” to the street scene and “detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring residents.”

Disgruntled: Mr Milakovic says the court case was “a sham” (SWNS)

Councillor Gordon Alcott, portfolio leader for economic development and planning said: “Mr Milakovic considered that he had the legal right to erect a two metre fence without having to obtain planning permission, and that the council did not have the power to ask him to remove the fence.

"However, following numerous complaints the council exerted their rights under the Town and Country Planning Act to require the development to be removed when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area.”

“Ugly”: The offending fence is clearly visible from the road (SWNS)

Milakovic, a lollipop man whose father was a Serbian immigrant, defended the fence.

The father-of-four said: “I still say I have done nothing wrong. There were trees there once but when I cut them back they looked a mess so I put some wood sheets behind them.

"People have apparently been complaining about them, saying the fence looks ugly. It’s ridiculous, the fence is on my property.”

Following the ruling, Milakovic, who lives at the house with his wife, a full-time carer, agreed to replace the fence with a more conventional design.

He added: “I didn’t want to replace the fence and don’t see why I should but I can’t afford to keep getting fined. The court case was a sham.”

View from next door: The neighbours aren’t happy with the height of the fence (SWNS)