RETIREMENT HOME RESIDENTS ORDERED TO REMOVE 1FT FENCE FROM GARDEN

Residents at Helgate Court, a retirement housing complex in Norwich, Norfolk, have been ordered by housing group Orbit to remove a one-foot-high picket fence within seven days. The fence surrounds a communal garden serving 31 flats adapted for mobility aids and wheelchairs. Julian Philips, a resident, erected the fence to prevent vehicles from driving over the flower beds and to improve the garden's appearance. Pauline Taylor, another resident, described the transformation of the space as making it "feel like home again".

Philips spent two weeks removing the existing ground and laying grass and planting flowers before installing the fence. Orbit's letter to residents cited safety concerns, describing the fence as a "trip hazard" and raising questions about the "quality of workmanship" and whether it met "required specifications and standards". Philips stated that no resident had complained about the fence obstructing movement and that all residents living in the flats had expressed satisfaction with the garden's improved condition. Taylor praised Philips's work as "brilliant" and said she felt "really sad" about the removal order.

Philips indicated his intention to resist the removal, stating he did not want vehicles driving over the garden again if the fence were taken down. The residents have threatened to chain themselves to the fence in protest of Orbit's decision. The dispute centres on conflicting assessments of the fence's impact on the communal space, with residents valuing the garden's transformation against Orbit's stated safety and standards concerns.