Local council and SWW ride roughshod over homeowners

hair-dresser

Hi guys i hope someone can give me a bit of advice to a rather stressful problem... The local council are building a small development behind our property consisting of 3 apartments. We opposed an issue with a window looking into our twin daughters bedroom, but they passed it anyway...To rub salt in the wound now Southwest water want to stick a new sewer through our garden from this development to join the main sewer at front of our property. This means they want to demolish our garage and dig up our garden to do this. Also what they didnt realise was that we also had planning permission passed to build on the side and back of our property as well which we are getting prices on at the mo. Could they stop us building full stop if they put this sewer in?? What are the extra cost implications and are we reponsible for this?? And finally do we have to roll over and let them do this to us??? The guy from water board said that if we dont play ball they can get magistrates order, turn up with police and just stomp all oer our property........We just dont know where to turn as i assume it`s not a common problem.........

Gothicfairy

The best advice I can give you is : Go see the CAB or ask a solicitor

The advice given here ( although often right and correct ) is not going to be backed up by the poster (to anything near good enough for say court) where as, you speak to a solicitor or the CAB and they can back all that up, with letters and formal things.

Also I would read the water industry act
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1991/ukpga_19910056_en_11#pt4-ch2-pb4-l1g110
Above is to get you started.

Cardew

Agree with the above; but firstly establish from the council just what the planning application and approval stipulated.

It would be highly unusual for a water company to be given permission to demolish your garage and dig up your garden.

Did you attend the planning application meeting? Was the water issue raised with you beforehand? That would appear far more of an issue than your daughter's bedroom.

You need to get advice quickly and get some kind of injunction to halt any work.

In any case the court won't issue an order without you being represented. What sort of compensation are SWW offering?

hair-dresser

We did attend the meeting and there was no indication of this happening as that would have been another of our objections on top of our daughters bedroom issue. tomorrow i will seek advice professionally. compensation was mentioned but obviously that is a carrot with no substance at this moment in time.