The Gol Gol couple bought their Langtree Parade house four years ago and in just a few years time they were going to knock down the building and build a new home they could happily retire in.

The 65-year-old said his dream had been shattered and his privacy stolen by the State Government-built high-rise units on Deakin Avenue.

He wants Minister for Housing Wendy Lovell to come and see firsthand how it has affected his privacy.

“I’m probably one of the worst affected,” he said yesterday.

“I own the freehold of the Sandors motel, plus myself and my wife purchased a house behind the motel with the intention of building a retirement home.

“We obviously wouldn’t dream of rebuilding under the current situation.

“We paid good money for it because it was considered to be in a good location, close to town, with good amenities.”

At the moment he is leasing the house to tenants.

The fact that the building will house socially disadvantaged Department of Human Services clients doesn’t bother him.

The fact that they can see straight in to his backyard does.

“The worst part of it is there’s not even a screen on the side of it that faces the house, they can look straight in to our backyard,” Mr Stizza said.

Ms Lovell wrote to one of the affected property owners at the weekend and said she had asked her department to discuss with him the possibility of planting additional trees to maximise privacy.

Given the building’s close proximity to the fenceline, Mr Stizza said additional trees were not an option.

“Privacy is a very precious thing, you are supposed to be able to enjoy your backyard without someone looking in.

“I have a real issue with the privacy of this and furthermore the comments made by Minister Lovell – to me it’s an ill-informed statement she has made, especially when she suggested to plant trees.

“Before she makes any further statements she should come up and have a look for herself and talk to affected landholders.