New neighbours and the eyesore...

We've been in our new house 2 weeks now and yet to plan the backyard.
The house next door sold and the new neighbours have also just moved in and erected this monstrosity 1 meter away from our back/side fence (and where we thought we might put our kids play area). Hideous!!




Any ideas on the council regulations for these things? Are we doomed to look out onto this eyesore now?

Any suggestions if so to cover it?! Would those fence extenders do anything? We can't plant huge trees as there is actually an easement running along our back fences.

Some information about screening plants in the thread Established screening plants in Melbourne http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=30760



To be honest that would not bother me.

We had an easement in our last place and youcan have a garden bed over the top of an easement.
I'd hate looking at that too. Do you like clumped bamboo? You could put that stuff in for screening.

I used to put these satellite dishes up a few years ago, the majority of them ON the roof and cant see what you are complaining about.

That is a bit ugly!

What about a screener attached to the top of the fence using decking material?
Would block out most of that.

Something like this;







Just run it into that corner only if you like and put a lovely garden in that spot and make it a feature corner and no one would know that you were blocking out a big satellite dish.

Wow.. what a over reaction, your neighbours are allowed to do what they want, just get some screening.

IMO the proximity of the other properties is worse than the satellite dish, so you're worrying over nothing.

Strangely enough I was thinking the same thing.

Forget the dish, I'd be planting screening plants to block out the sight of all the neighbours walls and roofs!

2

Yeah, the houses are so close to each other. But just get some screening.

Gee you guys are a tough audience!

Cinderella_375, hopefully you can ignore the sly remarks and the questioning of your concern.
Fact is - you have to stare at it and you don't like it.



Humble, for the record - I am not sure if there are any regulations relating to these dishes in particular, but in general - there are many regulations and restrictions on what neighbours can and can't do - either close to boundaries or overlooking neighbouring properties - so it isn't a case of "neighbours are allowed to do what they want" by any means.

Back to the question at hand - C_375, as I said, not sure if there are any regulations relating to this kind of thing (you would have to check with your council). But in terms of putting in trees, even with an easement, you should find that planting trees would not be an issue. Again, check with your council, but my understanding is that as long as you are not putting permanent structures (ie swimming pool or building a garage) then you can garden and put semi permanent structures over the easement land. You can even apply to have permanent structures built over easements.

So as I said, check with your council, but you should have no problem planting trees. Might take a few years to establish itself, but meanwhile you can use fence screening and or tall screening plants.

I'm sure once some garden and greenery and landscaping is present, the dish won't be so glaringly obvious. Just that there is nothing much else to attract the attention at this stage.

Good luck.

HHCIB

Wow. Tough crowd indeed!! Thanks to those of you who replied with tactful and helpful feedback!!
I agree that some plant screening of some sort would be excellent and once we do have the garden up and running it may not be as noticeable! Clumping bamboo or pitostrum (sp?) would be great.
Thanks again.

Yes, very unsympathetic audience!

I totally understand OP. I see that dish and immediately freak out about all the radio waves going through my and my children's brains!! Not that it can be helped in this day and age I guess. But yes, all the houses so close would disturb me also so I would be planting like there was no tomorrow.

Good luck!

You understand that satellite dishes don't transmit anything, right? They are passive devices and receive only. No radiation going through yours or your children's brains... not from it, at least. Your microwave, home wifi devices, cordless and mobile phones however are another story!

Yes thanks, it was somewhat tongue in cheek. And I meant the other stuff (phone, wifi etc) was unavoidable anyway. It's just not nice to look at and remember all the various radiations flying around!

The outlook in general could really do with some greenery in general. Make sure you think of the long term with your planting strategy. A nice perimeter of plants will create a cosy private haven where you won't need to spend any of your attention on what's outside your property whether it be a neighbours roof or a satellite dish.

Its a satellite dish, the neighbor can do what they want, as long as its in the property.

When you can hear your neighbor fart because they are so close to you (2m with 1.8m fence @ 1m) I wouldnt be worried about the dish.

I am not sure what sense of entitlement class I missed at school, but your neighbor can put a dish up, he can put a lot of things up, a painted pink pergola, there is nothing you can do. Neighbors are funny things, what they get up to is the least of my concerns.

Deleting my post.... not worth the effort (or trouble ).

Play nice people.

I'm at fault here - so I might ask the question ... does anyone find solar panels a bit of an eyesore ?

Ours are situated so that few can see them - but I've seen them - rows of them - across the front of a house roof and they look awful. A real eyesore.

I laughingly said to Mrs SM - well at least ours are on the side we can't see them ...

I must admit those huge dishes are a tad OTT. Maybe you need a device to sprinkle little pieces of aluminium wrap on it at a strategic time ...

SM - no, I personally don't find solar panels to be an eyesore.
They are usually in line with the existing roof line - so therefore don't stick out like "you know what" .
Plus, they are doing something for the environment so a bit of tolerance needed for those kinds of things.
I would find a satellite dish - especially one peering directly over my fence - a bit obtrusive, but that's just my opinion.

HHCIB