Wellington's view-blocking fence must go

The Environment Court has ordered that a fence blocking a million dollar view in Wellington be removed.

Roseneath residents Peter and Sylvia Aitchison had asked the court to consider an order for the fence put up by their neighbour to be removed, or at least lowered.

Today Judge Brian Dwyer gave his decision, saying the fence has to be taken down within the next month.

He says the adverse effects of the fence on the Aitchisons are severe, and considered to be offensive and objectionable.

"It was something that we were expecting ... however these things are always a huge, huge relief," Sylvia Aitchison said this afternoon. "It was very much in our favour."

She said the case had been draining, and the couple spent their 56th wedding anniversary in court yesterday.

"We're that exhausted. I just felt completely flat. We'd been in court all week at huge cost and expense."

Mrs Aitchison said the judge ruled the fence could come down within a month but there were possible legal complications relating to yet another court case.

"We have got another High Court case and we've been advised by Council that we can't talk about that."

That case, next month, will focus on the "baseline" or point at which the structure starts.

"It's a very very very complex case," Mrs Aitchison said.

Mr Aitchison earlier told NZME the fence battle went back 20 years, its roots in an old struggle between a neighbour and long-gone property developer.

He said the poles for the latest fence went up in March. About a month later, the rest of the structure went up.

"...All of a sudden, three guys arrived. It went up over about 10 days I guess."

Read more:
$100k Environment Court battle over a fence
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11526009
Fight to keep view-blocking fence