Edinburgh Oxgangs woman who is pregnant in row with neighbours over 'eyesore' fence

A pregnant woman is locked in a standoff with her grandparents’ neighbours after they installed a 6ft fence at their Oxgangs home which blocks the elderly couple’s access to their back garden.

Lorraine Smith, who is eight months pregnant, is livid about the wooden fence which she says cuts her grandparents’ communal steps in half and means she can't get her pushchair into their back green. The 32-year-old has taken photos and a video showing the narrow space left between their back door and steps, which is making it hard for her granddad John to get out and take their dog to the park. Her gran – also called Lorraine – has been in tears over the situation.

The neighbours had told the couple they wanted privacy, so her grandparents agreed to a fence being built and even forked out £600 - half the cost. But they didn't know it would end up an ‘eyesore’. The part-time hairdresser said they never agreed to the fence extending into their garden. Part of her grandparents’ fence was also removed and trees ripped up, all of which have been dumped at the bottom of their garden.

Lorraine said: “It has been so stressful. If I wasn’t pregnant I’d have ripped the fence down myself. Last week I came to the house and saw the joiner building the fence. When the neighbours were planning on putting something up they told my grandparents but did not say that it would take up their land. It’s about one metre into my grandparents garden.

"They said they wanted their own privacy and couldn't understand why there was a communal area. My grandparents said that was fine but they never agreed that a fence could cut into their garden. Now their access has been completely restricted. It’s such an eyesore. My nana has been in tears over it all. It's sickening as they have lived here all of their life. I tried talking to them a couple of times but they slammed the door in my face.

"They also asked why I would need access with a pram to the garden. It’s because it would save me walking all the way around to get access to the park."

As a former coal mine site, the properties have a communal space. But Lorraine says the house deeds show there has been a breach of the shared area boundary. After contacting the city council to complain planning officers came out and said they can't get involved. It’s understood that planning permission wasn’t required and both properties are privately owned. The family are now seeking legal advice.

Lorraine added: "I'm getting advice from a lawyer and they are drafting up a letter to inform the family that the fence has to be moved further towards their porch or taken down.”

The neighbours declined to comment. A spokesperson for the city council said: “This case has been reported to us and we’re looking into it.”

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