A Stoke Poges homeowner has been ordered to tear down an 8ft fence built without planning permission.

Buckinghamshire Council has served an enforcement notice on the owners of a property in Grays Park Road, Stoke Poges, following the unauthorised construction of the fence.

In the notice, the council criticised the height and scale of the fence, saying it fails to respect the character of the surrounding area.

The homeowner has been ordered to remove the fence and has been given four months to comply.

The enforcement notice was issued on November 20 and took effect on January 1, unless an appeal is made before that date.

The notice states: “In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, given its height and scale the fence appears as a prominent and incongruous feature when viewed in the street scene, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the area.

“The Council does not consider that planning permission should be given, because conditions could not overcome these objections to the development.”

The council added that the development is contrary to planning policy and that the land must be restored to its original condition, as the works constitute a breach of planning control.

The notice sets out the steps the homeowner must take, stating that the fence must be removed and all debris resulting from its removal cleared from the site.

It adds : “The Enforcement Notice seeks a complete remedy to the breach and its purpose, therefore, falls within Section 173(4)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

“The steps required by this Notice do no more than achieve a complete remedy of the breach by discontinuing any use of the land or by restoring the land to its condition before the breach took place. ”

If the notice is not complied with, the owners could face prosecution or remedial action by the council, unless they successfully appeal the decision to the Secretary of State.

An enforcement notice is a legal order issued by a council requiring unauthorised development to be corrected or removed within a specified period.