Totton: Wrangle over bridge fences appears to have come to an end at last

THEY have been blocking picture postcard views of a winding Hampshire river for two years.

Residents and walkers claimed they were a blot on the landscape and destroyed a centuries-old amenity.

Now after a drawn-out planning battle, most of the controversial fences lining a Totton bridge have finally been taken down.

The majority of the solid wooden panels on Salmon Leap bridge on the River Test had been removed to beat last night's deadline laid down by New Forest District Council.

And officers were this morning making final checks before calling off a prosecution.

Alec Shepherd, 70, of Hampton Gardens, who has lived in Totton all his life, said he was delighted by the news.

"It's great to welcome back the views we've all enjoyed over the years and have been missing," he said.

The fences were put up without planning permission by river keeper Graham Purbrick and his employers, Testwood Salmon Fisheries (TSF), to prevent gangs of drunken youths gathering on the bridge and hurling missiles at Mr Purbrick's nearby home.

But after threats of prosecution by the council, solicitors representing the Barker-Mill Family Trust, which owns the cottage occupied Mr Purbrick, told him he was in breach of the terms of his lease and ordered the fences down within seven days.

John Steel of White & Bowker said: "The panels have come down and as far as I'm concerned that's the end of the matter."

Len Norman, vice-chairman of the Totton Residents' Associ-ation, said: "It's wonderful news. Walkers will be delighted they can look out over the river when they cross the bridge. To have those fences put up like that was disgusting."

Leading campaigner and town councillor Di Brook said: "It's one of the most beautiful parts of Totton and people haven't been able to enjoy it. I'm delighted the fences are down.

"It's taken thousands of man hours for them to do something they should have done immediately when they were refused panning permission.

"It would have cost a lot of taxpayers' money that could have been used elsewhere."

Fellow councillor Frank Bright said: "I'm glad to see they've come down.''

Mr Bright said objections were being submitted to an outstanding appeal by TSF against the refusal of planning permission to replace one of the panels with clear Perspex and retain the other as wood in a bid to overcome complaints.

A spokesman for New Forest District council confirmed the appeal had not been withdrawn.

Neither Mr Purbrick or a spokesman for TSF was available for comment.