A FARMER has vowed to appeal after Wychavon councillors voted to take enforcement action over an illegally high fence.

The offending barrier erected by farmer Carl Powell was put up at the bottom of the garden of a listed house, annoying the householder Bill Jones in Peopleton.

After complaining to the council he was told by the head of planning Jack Hegarty that it would not be expedient to remove the fence.

In a letter read out to the development control committee by councillor Liz Tucker last Thursday, Mr Jones wrote: "I am extremely concerned that the head of planning has recommended that no action is taken. I feel my complaint has been dismissed by council officers. The fence to the rear of my property is unsightly and unsuitable for a listed building.

"I have made a valid complaint and it is the duty of the council to protect my wife and me from this loss of amenity."

Councillors called on planning officers to take enforcement action because the fence was 2.2 metres - 0.2 metres higher than allowed before planning permission.

Councillor Roma Kirk said: "Looking at that piece of fence I was reminded of the border between East and West Germany."

Coun Tucker said the planning department would be failing in its duty if no action were taken. "Are we going to reward those people who go against planning requirements? In this particular case, unusually, the council has offered to reduce the top of the fence for free if the farmer allows access. The farmer has refused access - is that reasonable?

"I really believe that if we allow this to just slip by we will be accused of treating different people in different ways."

Mr Powell, who erected the fence said he was just completing a job started by the council. "What it boils down to is that Wychavon put the fence up in the first place and then I extended it." He added that he would be appealing against the decision through the planning process.