A council has made a site visit to view a controversial fence which is at the centre of a planning wrangle in a Suffolk village.

East Suffolk Council has told the occupants of a house on Highland Drive in Worlingham, near Beccles, to tear down, or reduce the height, of their fence.

The permitted height of a fence in the area is strictly one metre.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: A street view from Google Maps, taken in May 2009, shows how exposed the property was before the fenceA street view from Google Maps, taken in May 2009, shows how exposed the property was before the fence (Image: Google Maps)

READ MORE: Village residents feels "threatened" in ongoing row with council over garden fence

The planning wrangle broke out after someone informed East Suffolk Council of the fence's height surpassing rules on December 30, 2020.

It led to the council sending a letter to the occupants at Highland Drive, advising them to reduce the height of the fence or file a planning application for the fence.

The occupants were also advised the planning application would likely be refused.

An enforcement notice was then served.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The homeowners say they feel threatened by the council in their correspondence The homeowners say they feel threatened by the council in their correspondence (Image: Bruno Brown)

READ MORE: Neighbours at war over 'rampaging' horses, 'aggressive' geese... and a pet FOX

Appealing the notice the homeowners said they wished to keep the fence for privacy.

They also said they found "correspondence from the council threatening". 

The site visit took place on Thursday, August 3.

The progress of the appeal will be noted in an overall appeals process document at an East Suffolk Council planning committee meeting on Tuesday, 8 August.