Knocking down garage joined to neighbours garage in order to create driveway

Hello all,

I own a property and also have a detached garage next to my house, but which is adjoined to a neighbours garage. That neighbours garage is also joined to a 3rd garage of another neighbour. All three are joined, yet form 1 detached structure.

I want to either 1: extend my garage towards my house so I can fit my wider car into my garage or 2: knock down my garage and create a driveway big enough for my car.

My plan would potentially be to knock down the outer wall, next to my property and NOT the wall between garages. I would also look to remove my garage roof which is a flat roof, of basic corrugated iron sheets.

Are there any issues which my prevent me doing this?

Would the party wall act apply in this instance?

I assume I would need to render the neighbours garage wall. Can I do this without there permission?

If I needed to, could I have the dropped kerb extended slightly to assist access into the new garage/Driveway?

Many thanks

 

I think you need to look at your deeds first and establish what land you own, where the boundary is etc. Also you need to check if the original developer has put anything in the deeds about the garages. For example on estates you often have to get permission from the developer to make a change like this.

If all is good then I think the Party Wall Act would apply and any works would be agreed under that. I am not sure what happens if the other party refused the render, you would have to take advice on that.

An extension of the kerb might need Highways Agency approval if facing a public road.

 

You need to actually confirm ownership of the wall and where the boundary line lies - not assume.

The Party Wall Act may apply for certain work on the wall if it is a party wall under the PW Act - you need to confirm as per above. Work to the roof, walls on your land wont come under the PW Act

Rendering the wall would be dealt with if the PW Act applies, otherwise there is no obigation to render, and you caould not do so without their permission if the wall is their property.

 

Assuming the wall is a Party Wall (and it almost certainly is) then removing your garage and leaving the wall exposed would be covered by the Party Wall Act section 2(2) and you would be within your right to do this: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/40/section/2

You should speak to a Party Wall Surveyor thought about going about this.

You don't need to render the wall, but would need to leave it suitably protected. If brick it could probably be left, if block then rendering, or otherwise made to match the rest of the garage.

It would probably be simpler in process to extend the garage towards your house and avoid negotiations if you can though.

 

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