A huge illegal fence erected on land in Liverpool's Hartley's Village must be taken down within the next month as an enforcement notice takes effect. The notice was issued by Liverpool City Council after the landowner failed to appeal within the required period.
Hartley's Village conservation area
The entire village is designated as a conservation area due to its importance as an example of Victorian manufacturing philanthropy, meaning stricter planning rules apply. The fence was erected on a communal square behind homes, sparking outrage among members of the Hartley's Village Residents Association.
The enforcement notice states that the fence contravenes the founding principles of the village's design by undermining the significance of the Hartley's Village Conservation Area. It says the enclosure fails to make a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness and adversely impacts its character and appearance.
Landowner's obligations
The landowners are instructed to remove all fence posts, fence panels, and gates from the land and restore the ground surface. The order took effect from July 28. They now have 28 days to comply.
Stephen Lancaster-Frankland, chair of the Hartley's Village Residents Association, said: “The 28-day deadline on the enforcement notice has come and gone and as expected the landowner has neither appealed or removed the fence as required. This comes as no surprise given the blatant disregard for the planning process that they have shown so far.”
He added: “If they do indeed fail to comply with a removal instruction then the council has the power to remove the fence and bill the owners for the cost. Working alongside Cllr Sam East I will be pushing for the council to utilise that power and remove the fence.”
Council's stance
Cllr Sam East said: “The failure to appeal this enforcement notice tells you all you need to know about this landowner. They don’t care about the impact this has had on Hartley’s Village residents and on the unique history of this site, and they likely knew those actions wouldn’t win permission, so they went ahead and did it anyway.”
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: “The contractors and landowners have been advised that the erection of the fence is not acceptable and is undertaken at their own risk. We will take further enforcement action if it is not removed.”
Land ownership background
According to land registry documents, the land was sold by previous owners Paul Waite and Gerard Waite to NWMS Property Ltd in September 2024 for £35,000. The documents were signed by Jennifer Farrier and Tracy Riley, directors at Nationwide Management Service. However, when approached, Ms Farrier stated that the company had no connection to NWMS and said she was unsure about the company. NWMS Property Ltd is registered at an address on London Road in Liverpool city centre, the same address listed for Ms Farrier as a director of Nationwide Management Services. She is not a director of NWMS Property Ltd. The land also contains plant equipment and turnstyle-like barriers.
