a bit of help please - extension + neighbours

[huddsrob]

Hi, i have a few questions and was hoping i would be able to find some help on here.

we live in a (currently) council property. its a mid terrace (4 in a row) and we will be buying with a look to get a 2 storey extension on the back.


my questions are..

1. what would we be allowed to build at ground level? i read that its 3m from your rear wall, unless the adjoining properties have modifications in place already, then you can go up to the end of theirs (see second pic)

2. in regards to the 1st floor, would the extension have to be in the middle only, or could we build it the full width of the house?


3. is next door's extension legal? comes right up to the property boundry, has windows facing DIRECTLY into my garden, exposed wall and rotten wood.

thanks in advance


edit: attached pics but dont think they have shown up, are they in my albums?

 

[tony1851]

point 2; speak with your local planning officer or have a look at the council's policy guidelines for domestic extensions.

point 3; that extension would be ok if it is a conservatory. If it is a normal habitablle room, the area of glazing is too large for start - it should be no greater than 1 sq m. in area (fire regs). The council won't do anything about it, though.

 

[huddsrob]

so are they legally allowed to have a window in that location? i mean.. cmon, its directly overlooking my garden, there is no where but my garden visible from it, surely that breaks some sort of privacy rule, they might aswell move in lol

 

[cjard]

1. what would we be allowed to build at ground level? i read that its 3m from your rear wall, unless the adjoining properties have modifications in place already, then you can go up to the end of theirs (see second pic)

No, it's 3m from your rear wall, or 6m if your neighbours agree. And so long as not more than 50% of the total garden space around your property is covered in buildings. And a host of other restrictions.
see here:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/extensions/miniguide
and here:
http://planningjungle.com/wp-conten...-10-Worst-Permitted-Development-Loopholes.pdf

2. in regards to the 1st floor, would the extension have to be in the middle only, or could we build it the full width of the house?

full width. it's only side extensions that must have no part wider than 50% of the original house

3. is next door's extension legal? comes right up to the property boundry, has windows facing DIRECTLY into my garden, exposed wall and rotten wood.

no, but you can't really do anything about it as it'll be well out of enforcement time limits now. build your own extension to block it out

 

[cjard]

so are they legally allowed to have a window in that location? i mean.. cmon, its directly overlooking my garden,

so are their upstairs windows

so would their eye be if they stuck their head over your fence

and vice versa

If you want privacy, build a brick wall of an extension right next to their windows, and a massive fence too. or buy a house somewhere else that gives you the feeling of privacy you want..

:/

 

[tony1851]

so are they legally allowed to have a window in that location?

Probably not, unless it was glazed in fire-resistant glass; but have you never parked your car on double yellow lines, driven in a bus lane, or exceeded the speed limit? The law is one thing - enforcing it is something else.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

attached pics but dont think they have shown up, are they in my albums?

Did you do all 11 steps?

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
Step 11

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OOI, if the neighbour has an illegal extension, then presumably he'd have no legal legs to stand on if the OP built a wall on his boundary right in front of the windows?

 

[tony1851]

OOI, if the neighbour has an illegal extension, then presumably he'd have no legal legs to stand on if the OP built a wall on his boundary right in front of the windows?

Correct, and it wouldn't matter whether the offending extension was lawful or unlawful.

 

[Deluks]

Ask your neighbour if you remove the wall on their side and replace with a shared boundary wall. At your expense.
The timber's had it anyway, and his window will become useless once you build on your side. Slightly more expensive for you, but will address your concerns and give you more floor space.