IT was designed to provide a tranquil canopy to a luxury garden swimming pool.

But instead a wooden pergola has led to a bitter dispute between neighbours and a fierce planning row.

Residents living next to the property in upmarket Woodfield Drive in Winchester claimed they had been left 'blinded' by the structure which, at 3.2m tall, required the approval of city planners but not sought by the homeowner before it was erected.

Disgruntled neighbours claimed the sunlight reflected off the polycarbonate roof of the pergola straight into their homes.

They complained to Winchester City Council about the breach of regulations and the matter was brought before the committee which has ordered that the garden ornament be reduced to the regulation 2.4m or pulled down.

Homeowner Lyanne Maclean said she was now considering her options which may include appealing the decision.

She said the structure had been put up to cover an 'endless' swimming pool which acts like a treadmill for runners by pushing the water past the swimmer, enabling them to cover any distance in a small pool.

The addition to the detached home was intended to help Ms Maclean continue to exercise after a leg injury made it difficult for her to run. The pergola was installed as a covering over a seated area and the 'endless' swimming pool. The ex-Army colonel has also planted clematis to cover up the structure, but it has yet to fully grow.

But the installation of the pool and subsequent pergola infuriated neighbours who said they were not properly consulted.

Neighbour Mairead Whiting, of Woodfield Drive, told the planning hearing that she didn't understand it was put up without informing fellow residents. She said: "We are unfortunate to live near a family that does not wish to consult with us. We used to have a good relationship with them.

"The pergola shines in the kitchen for a couple of hours each day which means we can't be in there.

"Recently they put a swimming pool in and a little digger came onto our garden and started digging. I couldn't believe it.

"I walked towards them and they walked away from me. All I wanted to do was talk about it over a glass of wine, however they were not prepared to talk to us and told us if we had a problem with it to go through mediation."

Cllr Derek Green, who represents the ward of St Luke, said: "The structure is larger than most fences in many gardens and was erected knowing it was too big for a suburban garden."

Ms Maclean said they were now considering their next move after her retrospective planning application was rejected. She added: "We don't feel there is anything wrong with it.

"We are perfectly okay with the rejections of some people as they have a right to reject it.

"However, we feel we are not in a dispute with (our neighbours) over it."

Chris Ward from Bryan Jezeph Consultancy, who represented Ms Maclean at the planning meeting, said: "This is just a bitter dispute between neighbours."