Battle over church fence still ongoing after three years

Dan Trivedi of The Street in Old Costessey put up a fence beside St Edmund's Church in early 2019, claiming he had permission to do so.

However he was then forced to rip it down around six weeks ago after a heritage officer raised concerns over it, according to the property investor.

Now, on his side of the boundary with the Grade I-listed Costessey church, Mr Trivedi and his wife - who live in the barn next door - applied for retrospective planning permission for a drove of sleepers.

Mr Trivedi insists the measures are necessary for structural safety.

He said: "The heritage officer wasn't happy with the fence and said it was not in keeping. We agreed we would remove it and repair the brick wall.

"The application is for the retrospective sleepers which have been in place for around three years."

District and county councillor Sharon Blundell with her husband Gary Blundell, vice-chairman of Costessey Town Council, who live in Queen's Hills estate in Costessey (Image: Sophie Wyllie)

However Costessey district councillor, Sharon Blundell (Lib Dem), wants the issue debated by South Norfolk Council rather than decided at officer level.

In an official response to the plans, she said: "I wish to send this to the planning committee on the grounds of materials used in this application.

"A brick wall should be built, not modern-day sleepers. It is not appropriate and totally out of character for a conservation area."

The heritage statement written on behalf of the applicant said: "The proposal is to manage the boundary in a manner that is appropriate to the location, addresses health and safety issues and provides a secure boundary to the residential property."

It also included a proposal to create a yew hedge.

Revd Edward Land, from St Edmund's Church, objected to the proposal online, writing: "The proposed provision of hedging in front of the existing brick boundary wall would take up more area in the churchyard and is unnecessary.

"Any new boundary structure replacing the fence should be erected either on the existing boundary line or on Mr Trivedi's side of the boundary not on the church side of the boundary wall."