A HUDDERSFIELD woman says a fence put up by developers has made her feel like a prisoner in her own home.

Jacqueline Ainsworth - a mother of four - lives on Crow Lane Terrace, Longwood, and her home faces on to the new Dalebridge housing development on the site of a former gasworks off Dale Street.

The 33-home estate is being created by Britannia Developments, who put up a 6ft high wooden fence when work started last December.

The fence is a yard from the front of Mrs Ainsworth's house and blocks the view from all the windows in her lounge and dining room.

It also partially blocks access to her garden.

She said: "All I'll look at now is a fence and a brick wall. I feel like a prisoner. It's claustrophobic."

She was told the fence was temporary - but after she complained a number of times she was told it would be permanent.

Mrs Ainsworth says negotiations were supposed to take place about the fence when planning permission was granted for the site last November.

She also says the felling of 15 trees in front of her house last Tuesday will mean occupants of the new three-storey homes will be able to see into her house.

She said: "They are saying the fence is aesthetically pleasing. But it isn't. It's just wooden planks.

"The trees were straight in front of my house. They screened my house from the site."

Tim Thomson, of Britannia Developments, said there was planning permission for the fence to go where it was.

He said it was necessary to offer privacy to existing residents and people who buy the new homes.

He said Britannia had put up a fence so it would be uniform, rather than the variety of styles that would result if fencing was left to residents.

He also said the fence was necessary on health and safety grounds while the houses were being built.

"Previously, the existing residents had uninterrupted views across the site. It is the change to their view they are essentially complaining about.

"We will see if there are areas where we can reduce the fence in height a little."

Mr Thomson said permission was given by Kirklees Council to fell the trees and they would be replaced.

He said: "They were mostly self-seeded trees of poor quality and mix.

"A replacement tree-planting scheme will provide a much improved visual amenity in the longer term. We have retained four mature trees."

* The three and four-bedroomed Dalebridge houses are already on sale. Prices range from £140,000 to £170,000. The development is set to be finished by the end of the year.