A DEVELOPER has been accused of trying to ‘rattle’ residents after lodging an appeal over an ‘eyesore’ fence.

Satnam’s decision to erect the structure, on Birch Avenue, sparked anger after it prevented residents from parking on land used for that purpose for more than 30 years.

An appeal against the council’s decision to refuse the firm’s plans for 1,200 homes on nearby Peel Hall was dismissed by a Government inspector in December.

However, a public inquiry over the appeal must be held again after the decision was quashed in the High Court.

The retrospective application for the fence was turned down by the development management committee in August on the grounds of residential and visual amenity.

The council later served an enforcement notice requiring Satnam to remove or reduce the height of it.

But the Planning Inspectorate has confirmed the developer has appealed both the refusal of planning permission and the enforcement notice.

Geoff Settle, chair of Warrington Nature Conservation Forum and former Poulton North borough councillor, has criticised Satnam.

He said: “In the 20 plus years that I have been fighting the developer and their attempts to disrespect residents of the Peel Hall area, this latest appeal was to be expected and is upsetting.

“As a former member of the planning committee, I know from experience that they are not the first, nor will they be the last, prospective developer to deploy such tactics. They are simply trying to rattle people.

“Erecting a fence that does not conform to regulations in an avenue that suffers greatly from traffic issues, such as parking and speed, echoes Satnam’s poor record in neighbourly conduct and an appreciation of how to make a bad situation worse.”

Satnam did not wish to comment.