My neighbour wants to build a massive extension? WHAT CAN I DO?

N79

You need to object based on the local plan and national planning guidelines. Here is an example objection that I put in when someone who owns a house which backs onto one of my properties wanted to build a second house in their garden, a foot from the end of the garden of my property. The application was withdrawn before it was refused. As you can see I had to read the actual local plan and planning guidelines and was able to show a number of areas where the plans did not conform. Very boring documents but it is the only way. Before people think I am a complete Nimby I had no objects to their proposed extension to their own house.

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We wish to OBJECT to the development proposed under application XXXXX

We object because the proposed development is contrary to the following policies within the XXXX Local Plan No 2 with alterations, April 1996 - Saved Policies from September 2007:

Policy 7ii. Section 5 V3: The proposed development would remove views of the countryside from the centre of the village by blocking the skyline when viewed from the corner of XXXX Lane and XXXX St.

Policy 7iii. The proposed development is within XXXX Conservation Area. Policy 7iii states that the proposal must either positively preserve or enhance the character of the area. The proposed development is a new build property surrounded by much older farmstead buildings (as referenced in Policy 7ii Section 5 V3.) and will involve the destruction of the enclosed nature of XXXX Lane. This enclosed nature of the lane dates from many centuries ago and remains unbroken on the east side, the side of the proposed development. Furthermore the proposed development is on the site of an orchard. The loss of this green space will be detrimental to the old farmstead style of the west end of XXXX Conservation Area.

Policy 29. The proposed development does not meet the requirements of policy 29 so no exception to normal policies applies.

Policy 55. According to Policy 55 1B the proposed development should contain 2 parking spaces. The plans submitted by the developer show 1 guaranteed parking space in front of the property. The plans also show a utility room / garage. Given the dual purpose nature of this room, the fact that it appears to be too small for a normal family car (the proposed developement is a family property and no specific dimensions for the garage have been included in the consultation documents), the nature of XXXX Lane (a narrow one way street totally unsuitable for on street parking) and the lack of on street parking on the XXXX St and XXXX St (owing to their narrow dimensions), the proposed development does not contain 2 parking spaces. At a minimum, the proposed development should be altered to include two guaranteed parking spaces for modern family sized cars.

Policy 57. Guideline 1: The proposed development does not enhance the established character of the local Conservation Area. Guideline 2: The proposed development does not enhance its site and surroundings. The proposed development includes the destruction of the enclosed character of XXXX Lane. Guideline 7: The rear of XX and XX XXX St will be within 30m of the proposed development. The plans state that a 1.8m wall or fence will be erected. This is contrary to Guideline 7 which requires a 2m wall.

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I must admit that this was an easy one to defeat because the wall that they wanted to demolish is on the site of a boundry that is 1000s of years old (I said 100s in the objection because I knew it was old - it was only when I spoke to the archeologist later that I found out that the boundry predates the Romans!). The council archeologist said she would allow this development over her dead body.

safe

Not sure the front will get permission because it looks a bit crap but I can’t see why the rear extension wouldn’t be passed, it has little effect on you really. They would be better off just having a nice, small porch and no lounge extension.

The windows/doors on the proposed front elevation don’t line up with the floor plans. Also the windows to the rear are too deep to fit sanitary units and kitchen worktops under. The plans are a bit crap all round really, they should have paid someone to do them.

Edit: The windows to the rear dont line up either.

charliee_3

i dont think it will be too bad... its only sticking out 1.5m at the front and its single storey pitch roof.. barely more than a big porch... and the back is also single story so really wont affect your light or view at all if you have a fence... and it will mean when you come to sell your house it will be worth more as there has been a precedent set for extensions of this nature.... i dont hold out much hope of a successful objection... however the council may refuse it as it changes the look of the house, being semi detatched, and they seem to like to keep things symetrical.. but its not like its a period house or anything so.. probably not...
its going to make his house really nice if he gets it.. i'm jealous!!

Poppy9

I don't know why they are putting in a downstairs bathroom. A loo okay but taking up so much space for a whole bathroom seems odd.

qwertyzxcvb

Just to clarify - I do not mind the rear extension really, there is a high fence, we have a conservatory - it's ok.

The problem is with the front one. Currently they have a crappy porch (which does not affect us) but they want to (according to plans) have a full width lounge extension. And I do not want to have a 1.5m wall next to the window in my lounge (which is quite dark anyway due to trees).

In terms of the bathroom downstairs - they have 3 kids + 1 due shortly so probably second batroom will be needed when children are a bit older.

kje_2

The full bathroom downstairs does look odd. I'd have thought that converting the loft for more bedrooms would be a better option with four kids.

I can see an extra storey going on the back with loft conversion in a few years time. Possibly splitting into two flats at the same time ?

Poppy9

I have to say I don't hate the look of the front extension if it's done nicely. A few houses by my MIL have done the same to bring their front room out level with their porches and most of them work well if they have matched the render and tiles to existing houses with nice windows.

To me though the amount they will spend on the extensions doesn't really give them much more room. The middle room is just a bit bigger but no windows (or possible one on the side) but it's a bit of a through room with quite a bit of unusable space and the downstairs bathroom is in the best part of the extension which should overlook the garden.

Dinah93

Hi there, I'm a planning officer and I have to say if this was my application I wouldn't have an issue with the rear due to your existing extension, I don't think there will be sufficient overshadowing or any overlooking. However the front would wreak the building line and have a detrimental effect on the streetscene, so I wouldn't reccomend approval unless they withdrew this element, provided no one else in the street has already done this big front box thing.

Call the planning officer dealing with the case to verbalise your converns, and follow it up with a letter reitterating these. Be polite, a good manner will get you 100x further than yelling at the officer - they can't help what has been put in, and they might not like it much either!

Finally an objection can't be refused, anyone has the right to object. However it can be decided against if the planning officer believes it will not be sufficiently detrimental, or it is based upon invalid planning reasons (loss of value of house, he objected to mine so I'm going to object to his, or the best one I ever got a few years back 'we don't want to encourage disabled people to live around here').

Best of luck

qwertyzxcvb

Dinah93 wrote: »

Hi there, I'm a planning officer and I have to say if this was my application I wouldn't have an issue with the rear due to your existing extension, I don't think there will be sufficient overshadowing or any overlooking. However the front would wreak the building line and have a detrimental effect on the streetscene, so I wouldn't reccomend approval unless they withdrew this element, provided no one else in the street has already done this big front box thing.

Call the planning officer dealing with the case to verbalise your converns, and follow it up with a letter reitterating these. Be polite, a good manner will get you 100x further than yelling at the officer - they can't help what has been put in, and they might not like it much either!

Finally an objection can't be refused, anyone has the right to object. However it can be decided against if the planning officer believes it will not be sufficiently detrimental, or it is based upon invalid planning reasons (loss of value of house, he objected to mine so I'm going to object to his, or the best one I ever got a few years back 'we don't want to encourage disabled people to live around here').

Best of luck

thank you for your response.
no, nobody has extended the house from the front side on this street. and all houses look pretty the same. would you be able to help me and list potential reasons i should point out to the planning officer (+letter)? you are in this field so you probably know the right wording around this.

again - the rear extension is fine- i do not mind.
thank you.

Dinah93

The key points as regards complaining about the front would be the detrimental effect on the streetscene, the strong coherance of the existing housing design, and that the front extension will remove the obvious building line which will over time erode the quality of the properties in the area.