After a ‘ridiculous’ council ordered a nursery to demolish a 6-foot fence that was put in place to protect kids while they were playing outside, parents expressed their outrage.
Westcliff-on-Sea’s Imperial Day Nursery has filed an appeal against Southend Council after the council ordered that a massive fence that rises above the business be removed or its height reduced.
Situated on a residential road in the seaside suburb, neighbours say the fencing, which is 6 feet high, looks ‘terrible and unsightly’.
But parents of children attending the nursery accuse the council of prioritising the ‘aesthetics of the street’ over the safety of their children as they campaign for the fence to stay up.
The nursery first became engulfed in a planning row with the council in 2022 after a complaint was made regarding the structure, which was built without proper planning permissions in place.
Imperial Day Nursery then lodged a retrospective planning application, but the council rejected it, claiming it was ‘visually prominent and stark’ and ‘out of keeping’ with the surrounding area.
The nursery has since intensified its defence by contesting the enforcement action taken by the council.
Speaking to MailOnline outside the nursery, parents told of how they feel safer with the structure being in place.
They say that before its use, strangers could easily peer into the ‘baby room’ at the front of the building, and that the fence also allows children to safely play in the outdoor area in front of the property.
One mother, Natalie Toby, said, ‘I’m a security advisor so from my point of view, it keeps children hidden away from the public walking past.
‘You can’t really see where the front door is unless you go all the way down there, so they’re keeping access routes nice and tucked away.
‘The nursery has been here for 30 years so I don’t see why the council are applying the same rules that they would to domestic dwellings.
‘New-build schools are being built with fence lines not dissimilar to this, so why are they not allowing this?
‘Surely the safety of the children is more important than the aesthetics.’
She told of an incident before the fencing that blocks the window of the front room was erected when a postman unintendedly dropped heavy parcels through the window of the baby room.
She added, ‘So it’s not just about keeping it closed off from people with malicious intentions; it’s accidental things as well.
‘They’ve got vulnerable children in that front room, and having the fence up keeps the babies safe.
‘It’s ridiculous; I don’t understand why the council are being so stubborn about it.
‘Surely safeguarding children and their safety is paramount to aesthetics.
‘I don’t want my daughter in a room where people can just walk past and look through.’
This is a story with two sides. Residents believe the fence is an eyesore and may be depreciating their property, while parents believe it keeps their kids safe.
If Southend council want the fence down, why don’t they find the group a suitable centre where they could be safe and in no one else’s eyesight?
However, all of this makes me feel negatively about the world we live in. What comes next? Will we all be forced to live in bunkers?
Although it’s pleasant to see kids play, not everyone is watching with good intentions, and I would want every safety measure in place if it were my grandkids. However, saying that it’s not normal to keep children away from everyone’s sight. It’s not mentally healthy to have such a fear-driven mindset, and it’s not healthy for kids either.
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