Arsenal fence will eat away at our gardens, neighbours complain

Published: 29 January 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

ARSENAL Football Club’s plans to put up a huge metal security fence two metres inside residents’ gardens stalled this week as the club was told to “find a ratcatcher”.
The club’s application for permission to install the fence – taking up to a quarter of each garden – was sent back to the drawing board at Islington Council’s east area planning committee meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday.
The fence is needed to protect neighbours during work on a homes and sports centre development at Queensland Road, Highbury. The club has to provide 24-hour security.
Although residents in Bryantwood Road, which backs onto the site, accept a fence has to go up, they protested en masse at Tuesday’s meeting.
Neighbours are furious that the fence, standing 2.2 metres high, could be there for up to two years.
It will cut across the gardens of numbers 2-72 Bryantwood Road and 52 Benwell Road, and will be put up two metres inside their gardens.
Neighbours complained they had not been consulted on the type of fencing proposed. They are upset that the fence will not reach the ground, leaving room for rats to get into their gardens.
Emma Jenkins, of Bryantwood Road, who asked for the planning application to be deferred, said residents want the club to take up only 1.2 metres of their gardens.
She added: “We’re concerned because we want minimum disruption and to safeguard our properties. The fence is located a bit further in than normal. It means taking a quarter of our gardens. Are you really just handing over an extra portion of our gardens without any recompense?”
She wanted a clear answer from the club on how long the fences will be in place.
Labour councillor Richard Greening asked: “Will the 24-hour secur­ity include a ratcatcher?”
His party colleague, Councillor Theresa Debono, said: “Arsenal and the council should talk to residents. It’s not one fence fits every garden so there should be some consultation.”
Green councillor Katie Dawson asked  whether Arsenal would consider paying compensation as a gesture of goodwill in light of the massive disruption.
Roger Hepher, representing Arsenal, said: “This is a temporary solution. I’ve checked with the engineers. They told me two metres is quite normal, given health and safety legislation. They want to avoid debris falling into the garden.”
Councillors voted unanimously to defer the decision.
At the same meeting councillors approved the club’s application to phase building work, after Mr Hepher said the financial crisis had made it difficult to find a ­private developer to take on the project.
The first phase will now include work on social and affordable housing, and a new sports centre, with the private homes left to phase two.