Scaffolding ruining view

[BigPea]

Hi, I am hoping someone can offer some advice. Our property borders a strip of council land which houses a sewerage system for the houses in our road. This has never caused a problem for us before but recently the council erected some scaffolding around the cess pit section of the sewers, which I feel massively impacts on the quality of the view from our property. Several of my neighbours also agree at how unsightly the scaffolding is.
I contacted the council asking how long the scaffold was likely to be in place, only to be told it's permanent and a health and safety requirement. When we purchased our house 2 years ago, we specifically asked via our solicitor whether any works to the sewer system were likely and the council responded that there was nothing planned. I am meeting with a council representative in a few weeks to discuss the situation but was hoping someone could advise me where I stand? I was under the impression that scaffolding, especially permanent would require planning permission.?!
I have attached a photo for reference...

Many thanks in advance.

 

[noseall]

Is that the 'before' or 'after' view?

Someone put their wheelie bin outside their house the other day and I could not see our neighbours flowering clematis without craning my neck. The cheek of it! At least yours is mostly see-through.

 

[GeoffJ]

You probably need to resign yourself to the situation.
The answers you received 2 years ago will have been true at that time. They and you can not predict the future.

See if the council will consider installing vegetation to provide screening on their side of the hedge - failing that you may like to plant screening on your side of the hedge.

 

[Nozzle]

Looks like a safety barrier to stop someone falling in. Know that if your campaign to get rid of it was a success then it would leave someone vulnerable to the risk again. So with that in mind, you could expect if the council had funds, the best they might achieve is some permanent railings, or perhaps timber fencing (that you can't see through). The need for the council (is it really coundil owned??) to protect their workforce far outweighs your need to see the weeping willow in the distance

Nozzle

 

[HERTS P&D]

Ask the council to paint it green.

Also can you image if the sewage system stopped working and your manholes were blocking up, with the council saying 'sorry for the 1 week delay as we need to make sure the cess pit is safe for our workers so we are waiting to have some scaffolding put in place.'

Andy

 

[bernardgreen]

The need for the council (is it really coundil owned??) to protect their workforce far outweighs your need to see the weeping willow in the distance

Does that scaffold offer any real protection ? It looks like there are steps or a slope with "hand rails" made from scaffold poles. The vertical gap
between the rails appears to be large enough for someone to fall through them with the subsequent risk of back or neck injury.

 

[Nozzle]

Does that scaffold offer any real protection ? It looks like there are steps or a slope with "hand rails" made from scaffold poles. The vertical gap
between the rails appears to be large enough for someone to fall through them with the subsequent risk of back or neck injury.

Yes

Nozzle

 

[Nakajo]

In reality, there's probably very little you can do. One house on my street has a 'temporary' corrugated tin hoarding that's been there for 40 years. A property on my commute route famously had a hideous (and then faded) green mesh wrapped around it for 20 years. Complaints go ignored in these instances.

 

[tony1851]

Try living next to incessant noise, then a view like that would be bliss.

 

[big-all]

look on the bright side
they will have to remove the scaffolding when they build a new housing estate on the land
if you don't own the land you don't own the view

 

[rules&rulers]

Have seen a similar scaffold turn into a permanent building,similar to the low building to the right.

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

Does that scaffold offer any real protection ? It looks like there are steps or a slope with "hand rails" made from scaffold poles. The vertical gap
between the rails appears to be large enough for someone to fall through them with the subsequent risk of back or neck injury.

That is probably the hand rails to some steps, which then give an elevated and safe access for inspection over the top of the pit.
The working platform is probably just below the level of the hedge.

 

[garyo]

Get a high vis jacket, helmet, and clipboard then wander over and paint it all green one morning. Any while you're at it angle grind the tops of the uprights off so they look at bit neater.

 

[Nozzle]

Like it, nice bit of direct action. And no-one questions someone wearing a hi-vis and clip board

Nozzle

 

[charliegolf]

No need to paint it all. Just the bit you can see! And only the bit facing your window. Spray can and 10 mins- job done.