Shanty being built next to my property without planning permission? (with photos)

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My neighbour from the adjoining road informed me that they were going to erect a “shed” in their back garden by my fence.

What is being built is not a shed but a brick built cavity filled building with services. It sits around 0.3m from my fence and is just over 2.8m tall.

I asked the foreign builders if they were going to cover the bare wibberley wobbley walls and they said no so I kicked off at the home owner who is now going to fund cladding to the fence line..

I have discovered the building needs planning permission, as it is too close and too high while the home owner didn’t think it did, as it was no bigger than 15 square metres. Who is correct?

The council will be coming out in around 10 days time to look at it but what action will they take? Will they tell the home owner to submit a planning application or will they tell the home owner to knock it down? I am letting the builders clad it today from my side, as I don’t want to be looking at a shanty through the summer and if it is given planning permission I wanted it clad now while that option is open to me.

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Note the gap and the two different sized fascia boards.
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I would be super nice/helpful to them to try and ensure they do as neat as job as possible in the first instance, worry about permissions afterwards.
 
That's awful! The good news is it needs planning. The 15sqm rule is related to building regs. If it is less than 1m from boundary and less than 15sqm it can be built of any material (not substantially non-combustible). However as permitted development it has to be 1) completely under 2.5m height and 2) must not increase the development on the plot >50%

It is likely planning will make them take it down, or at least reduce the height. The remedy may be to go out and buy some screening bamboo (make sure you get a clumping variety) and plant it against your fence. It grows to 4-5m tall and doesn't come under high-hedge legislation, or other tall plants. Or beech or hawthorn/blackthorn would be OK and again doesn't come under high hedge legislation because they are deciduous.
 
Ramshackle is the first word to spring to mind looking at that and you have my sympathies - their garden already looks full of greenhouse.
But a word to the wise: Mr Rusty has a good idea in using screening plants, although i'd caution you against bamboo since the roots spread like nobodies business so if you use them put them in a large pot to contain their spread. Hawthorn is a bitch to keep tidy, and if you get a female she'll spread her progeny far and wide, though the blossom is nice.
Good luck to you.
 
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Put up some close weave trellis and some climbing plants - maybe an evergreen honey suckle.

In reality what difference does the building make - without it, you had a view of their conservatory and house.

involving planning will cause arguments, I’m not sure it’s worth it - they’ve agreed to clad it for you.
 
Put up some close weave trellis and some climbing plants - maybe an evergreen honey suckle.

In reality what difference does the building make - without it, you had a view of their conservatory and house.

involving planning will cause arguments, I’m not sure it’s worth it - they’ve agreed to clad it for you.
Climbers are a good idea but i didn't want to give ideas that could lead to further tension as they'd likely spread across the roof of next door's building - honeysuckle is one of my favourite plants, and we have one right by the garden steps but i make sure to keep it trimmed to avoid it creeping through next doors extension guttering and roof.
 
Does look a bit of an eyesore at the moment. I'd probably put up some close mesh trellis to screen the building. Strictly speaking you need planning permission but the neighbour could hardly complain about it.
 
A while ago, a neighbour complained about an oversized, over height garage that her neighbour was building. The council tuned up and pretty much suggested that they turn a blind eye to buildings that are less than 15(?)% too large.
 
That’s what I am thinking. Where I live many town centre properties have illegal accommodation at the bottom of the garden. The owners of this house don’t have English as their first language so I have my suspicions.
 
We are now a second world country. Maybe arrange for the cladding after the council visit, rather than before.
 
The council will be coming out in around 10 days time to look at it but what action will they take? Will they tell the home owner to submit a planning application or will they tell the home owner to knock it down
Is this the whole council, or some specific person from a certain department?

You need to be clear as to who you are complaining to and about what, as not all the departments may talk to each other, and one officer won't deal with or even know about potential breaches under another Council department's remit.

Planning, Building Control, Environmental Health, Revenues (Council Tax) come to mind.

Regarding being told to knock it down, no council has that power. They must allow any unauthorised work to be regularised and go through that process first.

Have you checked your deeds and those of that neighbour, to see if any obligations are owed?
 
I received an email from Planning Enforcement informing me that they will contact the property owners within the next 10 days. This is after I received an email telling me how busy they were and that they were restricting site visits due to Covid. I then threatened them with starting the Councils complaints procedure, which will allow me to go to the Local Government Ombudsman, which might have focused a few minds.

I am taking the view that as it is already under construction and maybe finished before Planning Enforcement turn up a retrospective planning application will be put in at the suggestion of Planning Enforcement and that it will be eventually granted. I feel that the application will be treated differently than if the work hadn't started.

As the home owner is on the defensive at the moment she has now had the building clad in decking. I am thinking it is better to get it clad now than look at a bigger eyesore for maybe years.

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