Permission for Chimney stack reduction

[MrMiyagi88]

Hi folks. I need help and advice. Having some issues with gable end property. The back chimney is not in good condition. Water is coming into the property and creating damp issues.

As you can see from the image the stack is quite high. Builder recommended reducing the size of the stack as it appears to be leaning as well.

Do I need planning permission for this? The chimney itself is redundant for both mr and the neighbours. Must my neighbour agree to the work before I can commence and if so are,they in anyway responsible for assisting with payment in order to make the building safe?

Thanks in advance (my property is the one with the lower roof, if that helps).

 

[jeds]

You could do it on the basis of urgent maintenance works with intention to rebuild, but never get around to it. Planners will only be interested if it is a significant or listed building, in which case you definitely need approval.

You must inform neighbour under the party wall act, but it needn't be complicated or involve surveyors. Just tell them what you want to do and if they agree, get on with it. Contribution from them depends if one of the flues serves their property?

Obviously, none of this works if any flue is still in use. It will have to be built back up to original height for regulation purposes.

 

[conny]

One of my old houses was a Victorian terrace and the chimneys on most of them were barely 12", (30cm), above the ridge line.
Some that were on the back wall of the houses, (probably for a fire/aga in the old kitchen), didn't even reach the ridge line.

 

[lostinthelight]

One of my old houses was a Victorian terrace and the chimneys on most of them were barely 12", (30cm), above the ridge line.
Some that were on the back wall of the houses, (probably for a fire/aga in the old kitchen), didn't even reach the ridge line.

If the flue is at or within 2ft of the ridge its supposed to go 2ft higher than it. If more than 2ft away it has to go at least to the height of the ridge but can be lower as long as the horizontal distance from the top of flue to the roof surface is 2.3m or more so maybe the aga flue fell into the latter

 

[MrMiyagi88]

You could do it on the basis of urgent maintenance works with intention to rebuild, but never get around to it. Planners will only be interested if it is a significant or listed building, in which case you definitely need approval.

You must inform neighbour under the party wall act, but it needn't be complicated or involve surveyors. Just tell them what you want to do and if they agree, get on with it. Contribution from them depends if one of the flues serves their property?

Obviously, none of this works if any flue is still in use. It will have to be built back up to original height for regulation purposes.

Thanks a lot Jeds. I will discuss this with the owners. Cheers.

 

[tell80]

Reducing or removing chimney stacks immediately reduces the desirability of the building for those looking for period houses - in certain neighbourhoods it can reduce the selling price of the property.

Any working, on a neighbour's roof can open a can of worms esp if anything goes wrong or there's a later leak on the neighbour's side. An informal agreement is not always enough.

Having said that, I'd suggest that your shared stack is rebuilt.
There could be damp issues on both back gutters shown in your pic (easily fixed) - but the stack still needs re-building.

Residential Chimney stacks are part of our heritage as much as Stacks on stately homes - & the rich dont reduce or remove their stacks.
Check the old opening to Coronation Street for one of the most comforting and reassuring sights in British TV?

 

[Nige F]

Check the old opening to Coronation Street for one of the most comforting and reassuring sights in British TV?

Indeed - the ginger moggie jumping is very comforting . Tell is losing the plot