Privacy Screens (NSW Regulation)

Backstory is that I live next to a cantankerous neighbour who borders us with a pathetically low fence. We were blissfully seperated by a lovely high hedge (on their side) that completely obscured our interactions for 12 years. I thought this hedge was safe as she wrongly accused me once of trimming beyond the fence line (it was her gardener) but one day I came home and the hedge was gone! I'm now left with this horrendouse sight from my kitchen:

https://imgur.com/a/JeOWsmH

The hedge used to be as high as the other neighbour to the right and extended the full length of our property past the blue garage on the left. I'm panning on planting a hedge in our existing garden bed but this will only extend up to their window that is above the hose reel leaving me a gap between the new hedge and the garage.

NSW regulation specifies a 2.5m limit for privacy screens above existing ground level but doesn't clarify how this works for blocks not on the same level. My ground level is around 1.2m below the base of their house so a 2.5m limit won't do much if it is based on this. Is there any solution that would give us the kind of privacy we once had?

Comments

  • That tiny security door is cute at least.

    • It's for Jerry….

  • -1

    Pencil pines along the fence.

  • Plant a quick growing hedge and as it's a plant there are no height limits.

    Some options:
    https://aussiegardener.com.au/blogs/aussiegardenerlibrary/to…
    https://www.timsgardencentre.com.au/whats-in-store/goodbye-n…

  • +1

    Depending on how much you value your privacy, just pay for a 2mt paling fencing to replace or supplement the existing fence.
    A hedge will take a couple a couple of years to grow to your desired height, and then require continual pruning - no thanks.

  • +1

    Get blinds

  • exterior shade louvres

  • It seems fairly clear from the requirements (screen must be 900mm from boundary) that any privacy screen you put on your land in NSW would be measured from your ground level rather than your neighbour's.

    https://pp.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/development-and-assessm…

    It's unclear from the picture whether there's even room (900mm) for such a screen on your side. Plants will likely take up the same amount of land and require continual maintenance (it's probably why your neighbour removed them on their side).

    Alter the fence / change your glass / add blinds/curtains seem the cheapest ways to get what you want.

  • Thanks for all the responses. I think I'm going to go with a combination of a fence extension to the 1.8m limit and growing a lilly pilly hedge

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