Conservatory

[grifter]

My next door neighbour started building last year, what I can only assume is going to be a conservatory. The fences are 6 foot high, and so far the blocks are 3 courses above that. He actually put another course up yesterday, which prompted me to ask the question. Would he have required planning permission for this?
I've been told that I would be informed by the council of their intentions since i'm the next door neighbour (if this is true),but I've heard nothing.
I don't talk to the neighbours, maybe the odd hello twice a year, but it not a bad relationship, we just keep ourselves to ourselves and that suits me.
The thing is, if you intend to build something that will encroach over your neighbours garden, and it does, is it not curtesy to inform them of your intentions, and it hasn't got a roof on yet! Look at the pictures and you can see the poor finish that I have to look at all the time, but because they can't see it, they don't care that it is an isaw to us!
We will be moving in the coming months so we're not too bothered now, but out of principle, why should they think they can build what they like without thinking how it will effect us!
He is actually a builder, but look at the pictures of the side of their house which is taken from my back door and is 5 feet away from us. We have to look at the crap rendering every day. I can do a better job. And now another side of a another building overlooking our garden for us to look at. I'm worried it will put potential buyers off buying our property!
Are they in the wrong, and if they did require planning permission, how do I find out if they did without asking them directly, which is awkard to do. Ring the council?
Advice and thoughts are welcome

Untitled

• grifter
• 20 Jun 2010
• 1

This is what I can see from the landing outside my back door

What I can see from my back door

Untitled

• grifter
• 20 Jun 2010
• 1

His attempt at rendering. This is about 5 feet in front of me standing outside the back door...

Very poor rendering which is the side of their house 5 feet in front of us

 

[mattylad]

Contact your local council planning department re the build for the facts on it.

How did they do the rendering?

If they did it as they build from over their side then I can understand it being that bad.

Perhaps suggest that you let them come onto your property to put the rendering right & paint it (as long as they return your property to the same good condition it was in before they started).

Take photo's of your land beforehand.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Its pretty clear what you can build without applying for full planning permission.

Conservatories: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/public/buildingwork/projects/workcommonconservatory/

Extensions: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/public/buildingwork/projects/workcommonextensionreal/

Though its may be pretty hard to assess until its been built.

If you want to all official about things you can contact the council, depending on the authority they might/might not investigate and ask the home owner to clarify whether the development requires permission or not.

 

[grifter]

Contact your local council planning department re the build for the facts on it.

How did they do the rendering?

If they did it as they build from over their side then I can understand it being that bad.

Perhaps suggest that you let them come onto your property to put the rendering right & paint it (as long as they return your property to the same good condition it was in before they started).

Take photo's of your land beforehand.

The rendering(if you can call it that) was already done when we moved in. I was just showing how bad it is and the fact that because they can't see it, they don't care that we have to see it, and what we can probably expect from the new build.
Access would have been ok when it was rendered, being able to work from my side. They were more friendly with the people who lived here previously.

 

[DevilDamo]

As already metioned, speak to the L.A. to see if planning approval was sought.

If PP was required, then they may be able to take enforcement action, which would result in the works coming to a stop. If PP wasn't required, the neighbour may be asked to prove that and in these days, that is done via a Certificate of Lawfulness, which your neigbour may not be aware of? Or they may have been told it wouldn't require PP and instead of having that confirmed officially, they may have just progressed and deal with the consequences (if any) in the future.

But first step, speak to your local planning department.

 

[garyo]

Have you asked them what they're building, in a friendly neighbourly way?

It looks like it could be an 80% glass conservatory with a solid wall on the fence side (because glass would be pointless) - therefore PP probably not required assuming he's ticked some very-easy-to-tick boxes.

Gary

 

[jeds]

It's highly unlikely he would need planning permission unless you are in a conservation area or the building is listed. If his house is detached he can build 4m out from the rear elevation as long as the eaves are not more than 3m high and the roof ridge is not more than 4m high.

A potential issue though is the position of the boundary. The fence looks like it is some distance away from the boundary (on your side) but is that the correct position? I would have thought the correct position would be along the line of the corner of the neighbours house. If so then his new gutter will overhang your property and that can cause problems.

I'm not suggesting you get into a boundary dispute with him though. Especially if you want to sell up. But it would be worth having a word to see what his intention is.

If the fence is correct then it seems ok to me. He has enough room to not encroach.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

Surely the existing extension would have used up any permitted development rights that they may have had??

 

[DevilDamo]

All will be revealed if/when the OP speaks to their local planning department... as mentioned in one of my earlier posts.

 

[jeds]

Surely the existing extension would have used up any permitted development rights that they may have had??

I didn't see a reference to an existing extension. Of course there is now no restriction on the volume of extensions but if the conservatory is on the back of an existing extension then it could well make a difference due to the distance limits.