Closed
Barbed Wire attached to wooden fences at domestic dwellings
Reported via desktop anonymously at 16:43, Mon 9 November 2020
Sent to Oxfordshire County Council and South Oxfordshire District Council 1 minute later
The residents at No: 23 Clapcot Way have attached barbed wire to their rear boundry fences at a height of under six foot from the ground which are adjoining a public footpath at the rear of the premises causing the area to look more like a farm yard than a public footpath, it is dangerous and unsightly.
Section 164 of the Highways Act 1980 says that barbed wire on land adjoining a public highway must not cause a nuisance to humans or animals using the highway. Anything placed below 2.4 metres high will usually be deemed to be causing a nuisance and the local authority can issue a notice demanding its removal.
Council ref: ENQ20880152
Updates
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Thank you for your enquiry. This issue has been passed onto the relevant team for investigation.
State changed to: Investigating
Posted by Oxfordshire County Council at 16:44, Mon 9 November 2020
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Still open, via questionnaire, 21:58, Sun 13 December 2020
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This problem was reported on 9th November 2020 but nothing has been done, the problem still exists.
Posted anonymously at 16:23, Sun 10 January 2021
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Still open, via questionnaire, 15:43, Mon 11 January 2021
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Thank you for your report, both of these sites have now been assessed. The decision is not to request the removal of barbed wire from either site. "barbed wire is deemed to be a nuisance to a highway if it is likely to be injurious to persons or animals LAWFULLY using the highway." Due to the position of the barbed wire plus the fact that there is a narrow verge along the length of the base of the fence line it was felt unlikely that any person lawfully using the Highway would be injured. There appears to be a localised issue here as there is also anti climb spikes on top of some of the fences. It was felt not to be either appropriate or proportionate to request any removal. This report is now closed.
State changed to: Investigation complete
Posted by Oxfordshire County Council at 13:10, Fri 7 May 2021
This report is now closed to updates from the public. You can make a new report in the same location.