Neighbour extension...

Soldato
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2 Dec 2009
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Perhaps the most awkward thing a neighbour can do for inter-street relations...

Our neighbour over the road from us (it is a fairly narrow street - just over one car wide) is looking to extend from their current 3 bed detached to make it 4-bed detached with an additional bathroom. He isn't a builder, (he's a salesman) but is going to do it all himself (god knows what it will look like!).

What this actually means for us, directly opposite, is that their single storey flat-roof side garage will be made 2-storey with a pitched roof in keeping with the rest of the house, so effectively a full height extension. For our house it affects:

- our master bedroom (removes 50% of the view of the fields in the background, and removes around 1/5th of the light, and will add a room directly looking into our bedroom, where currently there are none).

- our hallway window (removes around 50% of the light).

- our front small bedroom (would totally remove the view of the fields, and removes around 10-15% of the light).

To my knowledge, the neighbours directly next to them have opposed (as they are building directly to the boundary) and they have refused to have ladders, scaffolding etc on their land. My missus is quite uneasy about it, as she was caught off-guard when they told her and she was swept away by the story of the family expecting a baby (and the usual platitudes of 'this is our only option, we can't afford to move etc etc'), and she hates drama.

However, on thinking about it, and discussing it with me, we're both perturbed by this, as it would have potentially meant that we wouldn't have picked this house.

Any tips on how to deal with this - any opposition will likely mean that there will be strained relations with the neighbours, yet, no different to how they are now - quite ignorant at the best of times.
 
Soldato
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The actual design is perfectly standard and perfectly reasonable.

The impact on you may not be however, I’m not sure how far your rejection will go to stop planning being granted dude
 
Soldato
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have they done a daylight study for their planning application, and how have you calculated your light loss? at the other side of the road it's unlikely to have a huge impact on daylighting in terms of the BRE guidelines and if you are planning to object to their application don't mention the loss of views, that isn't a material planning consideration and it weakens other arguments. Just stick to factual, planning related objections
 
Soldato
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You're perfectly entitled to object and any reasonable person should not have an issue with this. If they do then they're not worth your worry about straining the relationship with them.

However, your objection to losing the view will not be taken into account and I find it unlikely you will actually lose any light if their house is across the road and not directly next door.
 
Soldato
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https://www.planningportal.co.uk/faqs/faq/4/what_are_material_considerations

You are within your rights to object, but only the above are material considerations - ie affecting your view isn't a concern of the planners.

Similarly, the neighbour refusing scaffold/ladders etc is just being petty - it won't stop the extension and will just strain the relationship - it would be much better to agree how it will be returned to the condition it was in/better or a compensation amount to replant/returft, agree working hours/days etc
 
Soldato
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^ first floor extension.

I take what you say about loss of view and accept that cannot be a reason.

Concerning the light levels and being overlooked, that must have some weight though - perhaps moreso being overlooked? Our living room and master bedroom would be directly opposite a new window and a new velux loft window too, where currently we are not overlooked at all.
 
Soldato
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I'm not sure being overlook would be a consideration either to be honest. Terraced houses are built directly opposite each other.

I agree it's a bit of a crap situation though. I dread the thought of some fields near our house being sold for housing developments!
 
Caporegime
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tbh not allowing him to do a reasonable extension. which it is IMO. is a crappy thing to do if he can't afford to buy a bigger home.

my opinion though is extensions very rarely ever are cheaper than just buying bigger.

also if he's doing it himself. expect lols to ensue. he must have a mate who knows what he is doing.
 
Associate
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Derby / Rotherham
You clearly, as do the neighbours, have a right to object to planning approval being granted - I’d be surprised if permission was not granted unless there are specific local planning regulations in place.
The issue of loss of light, is unlikely to be considered, and from what you have described I can’t see how loss of light would be an issue.
The neighbours need to consider what they will gain by denying access to their land to build off - most bricklayers can lay over hand and make it look a right mess for the neighbours to look at! But what’s likely to happen is that the extending owner would make an application under the party wall act to build on the line of juncture, which then gives legal rights to build off the neighbours land any way.
 
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Soldato
OP
Joined
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Location
Midlands
tbh not allowing him to do a reasonable extension. which it is IMO. is a crappy thing to do if he can't afford to buy a bigger home.

my opinion though is extensions very rarely ever are cheaper than just buying bigger.

also if he's doing it himself. expect lols to ensue. he must have a mate who knows what he is doing.

It was our knee-jerk reaction to the build. We've decided to let the other people fight the battle - we are indifferent to it now. Yes, it will be different, and yes, it may impede our view a bit, but c'est la vie. We may well need extension/flat-roof conversion work in the future, so a bit of give and take is always helpful.
 
Associate
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You could ask the planners to insist on a RtL survey, however, being over the road I doubt much will be calculated as a loss and it's always dealt with by money and awarded in court if necessary, but it won't get there for something like this. The neighbour's saying they'll stop them will fall foul of the Party Wall Act (which your other neighbour should serve on them).

Losing the view sucks, but as others have said, you've got absolutely no right to one anyway. Buy a country mansion with 100 acres if you want your view protected!
 
Soldato
Joined
3 Oct 2009
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Wales
Speaking of views, some new houses have been built near me right infront of another row of houses

q6LQSdr.jpg

And this is the view they've lost :eek: North West facing so the sunsets are absolutely stunning.
Wouldn't like to know what that's done to their property value...
idBXhV9.jpg
 
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