Neighbours objecting planning

O

Orchid2021

Dear anyone, I am turning to this forum in desperation. I have applied for a regular single storey rear kitchen extension within the planning rules through an architect. I have done everything right; went to see the neighbours with my intention and at the time they were supportive and understanding, although I could tell by their faces that they weren’t happy. Anyway they have so far blocked the application twice. When the planning officer came to see my yard I showed him similar extension in my street but he didn’t want to talk or listen. Said he was just here to observe the proposed kitchen. Even if permission is granted these neighbours are going to make hell for my builders as scaffolding etc will have to be erected . Have any of you been in similar circumstances? I appreciate any feedback you can give me.



Blackburn
 
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Any work carried out will be on your land not theirs and why need scaffolding on a ground floor extension.
 
Thank you for your quick reply. My old kitchen which will be extended is also the boundary wall which separates our terraced house. Therefore after building to a certain height the scaffolding will have to be erected in their yard for the building work on the kitchen extension to continue.
 
Your builders will have to work overhand from your property, it's not an unusual situation and most builders have done it.

Before the work commences point out to your neighbours if you can't access the extension from their side then the finish on it that they will see may be poor so it's in their best interests to help out.
 
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Thank you so much for your reassuring advice. I will remember it. I appreciate the time you took out for my query.
 
Has the application been refused?

If the extension is designed in accordance with the council's planning policies then it must be approved irrespective of any objections. Your architect should have told you all this and designed something that would ve approved.

If you require access to neighbours land for scaffold, then check if the party wall act applies as this will grant access. It may be costly though. Again, your architect should advise.
 
The application has not been refused. It has been withdrawn twice by my architect after neighbour objections. First time was because the architect had drawn it up to the boundary line (his mistake) .He issued the second application 6 inches short of the boundary line, so I thought finally I can get the ball rolling. Still they are not happy. I believe the lengthy letter referred to the party wall act, party wall agreements etc.
The plan has been designed to the legal requirements and there plenty of extensions like I want in the street already; including my next door neighbours on the other side whom I supported when they were having theirs built and yes I pointed their extension out to the planning officer aswell as all the others in the street. One would have thought a precedent had already been set.
 
Hi Woody,

Once the architect resubmitted the plan showing the extension inside my boundary by 6 inches he did say to me that the council will approve now even if the neighbour objects. Yet here we are again at the beginning with my plan being withdrawn.
 
My architect didn’t elaborate the exact reason for the withdrawal but when he rang me his opening sentence was; ‘Do you not get on with your neighbours?’and that the neighbour had objected again; this time with a lengthy letter and to leave the backyard door open as the planning officer would be visiting the following morning.I tried to ask questions and he literally said he was in a rush and cut the phone call. The planning officer was just as secretive and I haven’t heard anything for a week.
 
Sounds like you have a crap architect, and that's more the problem rather than the neighbours
 
If he has wrote a letter of objection it should be on the councils planning web site, ask the case officer where it is, what it contains and spout about freedom of information, public domain, etc and if need be tell him you are going to write/phone/email the Head of Planning. Which council is it.?
 
Woody you are absolutely right. The architect was recommended to me by a local builder. Since then I have seen some bad reviews about him yet some outstanding ones. I thought I would risk it and maybe my experience would be the latter.

Dereekoo thank you so much for your good advice too. I will take note and yes it seems everybody else has seen the letter of objection apart from the person it affects ie.me. I have tried to find the letter of objection from the neighbours but it’s not on the council’s website. Sorry I don’t want to name the Council.
 
Why isn't the extension being done under permitted development?

There is not much to go wrong with designing and getting planning permission for a single story extension. The only potential issue is the 45° rule which limits how far the extension projects, or its width.

The side walls can be built 1mm in from the boundary, or on the boundary if you use the Party Wall Act.

Otherwise it's all routine.
 
According to the architect it should have been a straight forward application under permitted development. In the inner urban streets where I live this is a straight forward kitchen extension application; my architect has these permitted regularly with no problem; in fact neighbours are never known to object to this type of extension. I am unlucky my neighbours don’t want me to. They are making the most of the neighbour consultation letter I suppose. I may now have to go the full planning route. More costs. Makes you wonder about living next door to such people.
 

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