A dad has been ordered to tear down an 'eyesore' fence he erected to keep his children safe.
Architect Andy Martin built the 6ft 5in fence to surround the forecourt at the front of his £620,000 terrace house in North London.
But neighbours complained it was an 'aggressive' fortress, was out of character with the street, and could actually be a magnet for burglars who could hide behind it.
He has now been told to take down the fence because it doesn't have planning permission.
Mr Martin, who has worked for rock star Noel Gallagher and a number of fashionable restaurants, said he had created the barricade to protect his family.
He said: "We had some problems with someone being chased into our house late at night, and it's put my young children in a situation where they are quite nervous now.
"It's really helped for them. It gives us a lot more security. It gives us two lines of defence before entering the house. I'm not sure why it has been so radically opposed."
Mr Martin claimed there were 'four or five others' in the area, adding that having a street full of such front fences would be 'very beautiful'.
He added: "In my opinion that street is a little bit of a disaster. It feels like a car park – people pour concrete in their front yards. It's not a great example of streetscape."
But neighbour Paula Garcia, 43, told the Mail: "It's like a little prison, not a house."
And Dilip Hirani, 52, described the house as 'an eyesore' and said: "I don't know what they are protecting. They must be running around naked or something."
Mr Martin's planning application described his fence as 'a modest' construction but it was rejected by Brent Council, which said it had 'a significantly unacceptable visual impact'.
The council said planning permission was required for a fence or wall to the front of a property which would be more than one metre, or 3ft 3in, high.
More on Parentdish: Council orders mum to remove garden swing