A ROW over an outdoor pizza oven has seen it removed by owners, who have issued a plea to be allowed to keep the fence which surrounded it.

East Lothian Council issued an enforcement notice against the owners of the house on Winton Court, Tranent, after a single complaint about the use of an outdoor fire as a pizza oven.

The owners were ordered to apply for retrospective planning permission for the fireplace, as well as a patio roof and fencing which they had installed.

However, planners then refused to grant permission, instead ordering all the work to be taken down.

The case was taken to Scottish Ministers for appeal but, after agent for the owners Joanna Tonska told the Scottish Government reporter that the outdoor fire and patio roof had already been dismantled, the council withdrew the enforcement notice.

But it has said the notice will be re-served in connection with the fence, which remains in place.

READ MORE: Pizza oven row

In evidence submitted to the reporter, Ms Tonska appealed for the family to be allowed to keep the fence, arguing it was smaller than the neighbouring house’s fence, which she said was “still standing, unauthorised – nearly six years after being served a planning contravention notice”.

She said: “My clients removed the roofing over the patio and external fireplace but they are desperate to keep the existing fence in place… mainly for safety reasons.”

She added the homeowners had young children.

However, following her admission that part of the work had been removed, East Lothian Council told the reporter it would withdraw the enforcement notice which was being appealed, with plans to issue a new one.

They said: “It is East Lothian Council’s intention to amend the enforcement notice as served upon the owners of 5 Winton Court accordingly to reflect compliance sought by them to date.

“The amended notice will be re‐served in respect of the only aspect of unauthorised development left on site at 5 Winton Court – the fencing.”

No objections were made to the original planning application for the fence, roofing and outside fire.

The council did, however, receive a single complaint about the fire being used as a pizza oven in June last year.

The local authority has an open front garden policy which bans fences at the front of homes in some parts of the county.

However, the agent for the owners insists the fence is at the side of the house, not the front.

Ms Tonska said: “[The] house is not in a conservation area. Not one neighbour opposed the development.

“Design of all buildings on the street and their relationship to the road doesn’t define clearly where is the front of these properties and where is the side.

“Therefore this development proposal is not harmful [and] is setting better standards for the look of the area.”