A mother has been ordered to tear down her £4,000 privacy fence – despite no one complaining and neighbours dubbing it ‘modern but respectable’.

Sophie Daly, 45, erected the two-metre tall barrier near Chepstow to increase the safety and protection of her two children and ‘large breed dog’.

She applied retrospectively for planning permission – but was met with an ultimatum from council officials who argued it caused ‘unacceptable harm to the visual amenity and open character of the area’.

This was despite no local residents submitting objections and Ms Daly saying she also hoped the fence would provide protection from the noise and protection against a nearby A-road.

Conservative councillor Rachel Buckler has maintained the fence is ‘detrimental and not in keeping’.

‘In my mind the hedge was better’, she said.

No neighbours objected to the new fence, and one supported Mrs Daly’s application saying ‘they enjoy seeing the new well-kept addition’ and dubbing it ‘modern but respectable’.

Councillor Paul Pavia supported Ms Daly saying the fence offered ‘protection from one of Chepstow’s busiest roads’.

Pictured here is the fence. A councillor said it was ‘detrimental and not in keeping’ and the application has been duly refused

Pictured here is the house as it looked before the fence. The councillor said: ‘In my mind the hedge was better’

Sophie Daly (pictured), 45, had erected the two-metre tall barrier near Chepstow to increase the safety and protection of her two children and ‘large breed dog’

He added: ‘It is very near the infamous Highbeech roundabout. It is not a rural lane but a noisy, polluted urban corridor.’

Planning officers from Monmouthshire Council disagreed – they argued the fence was in a ‘prominent location’ at a gateway to the town and recommended councillors refuse the application.

Planning officer Philip Thomas added the house is on a ‘visually prominent entrance to Chepstow’.

The application was duly refused.