A RESIDENT who installed a large timber screen to add privacy to their balcony in Old Leigh could be ordered to pull it down after failing to get planning permission.

The large screen at the rear of the home, at 19 High Street, is visible from the street and Southend Council fears it is detrimental to the “historic character of the area”.

The home sits in the Leigh Old Town conservation area next to Mikes Boatyard and councillors have been recommended to approve enforcement action at a development control meeting next week.

Southend Labour councillor, Matt Dent, said: “Privacy screens can be quite imposing on the street scene and the views, and something like that really alters the scene, particularly in a conservation area.

“The laws around conservation areas are quite restrictive and they would not grant permission on something that impacts the appearance of the area.

“We have these areas for a reason, they have cultural and architectural significance, and they are quite restrictive with what you can and cannot do.

“From prior experience, I can say that in these cases the rules are quite strict. I can understand why they would want a screen but when you live in a conservation area, the pay-off for that desirable architectural heritage is restrictions.”

The timber screen has been identified by officers as being “detrimental to the historic character and significance of the existing property and the wider Leigh old town conservation area,” with enforcement to take down the screen “in the public interest”.

Two previous applications to the council, one in January last year and a second in July, to install a privacy screen to the side of the first flood balcony were both rejected by the council.

An initial complaint was received by the council in April 2022 and after a site visit by council officers, who instructed the resident to either submit a planning application or to remove the screen.

In the latest visit in September 2023, the privacy screen remained in place and unchanged.

The report to Southend Council’s development control committee, before meeting next Wednesday, said: “Given the harm identified above, it is reasonable, expedient and in the public interest to pursue enforcement action in the circumstances of this case. This will reasonably aim to secure the removal of the unauthorised timber screen.”