A home owner who had her application to enclose her garden refused says she now feels vindicated following her successful appeal.
Landowners Sheila Endresz and Tony Travers applied to change the use of land at 6 and 7 Burdock Close in Downham Market from an open plan garden to enclosed residential garden land.
But the application gained the attention of local walkers who strongly objected to the plans, taking issue with the erection of a 1.8m fence put up by the landowners.
The disputed ground, which leads onto London Road, lies to the south of the properties and is adjacent to the highway verge of the A1122.
The land, which is privately owned by the applicants, has been used by walkers for years.
Downham Market Town Council also objected to the application, raising concerns about the potential loss of public amenity areas in the town, saying they would not support the curtailment of a mature, green landscape belt enjoyed by many of the townsfolk during the past 15 years.
Councillors at West Norfolk Council voted against the planning application in a meeting on Monday, September 2.
Following the decision, the landowners submitted a householder planning appeal form to the planning inspectorate and have since been granted planning permission.
A site visit by inspector Peter Sturgess concluded that the "proposal would not harm the function of the land as a buffer between the dwellings and the A1122, nor would it detract from the quality of open space and landscape character in Downham Market".
Mrs Endresz said: "The day of the planning meeting was extremely stressful.
"But we are delighted with the appeal decision which was delivered very quickly, just 12 weeks when the estimated time is 28 weeks.
"We also feel vindicated that there is no right of way over the land, not before the development nor any plans by the developers to create one.
"We hope now those who objected will move on and the criminal damage, trespassing and verbal abuse we have endured now stops.
"We would also like to thank all our supporters, who far outnumber those who objected."
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