compensation for neighbours extension?

bossdog

My mother in law lives in a semi detached house in a very rural location (only two neighbours in the lane)..... next door got permission for a massive extension that doubles the footprint of the house, despite our formal objection through a solicitor. This two storey extension is on the rear of the house and is visible from every part of the mother in laws garden. The wall that faces the garden is solid brick (no windows allowed to over look the garden. It is absolutley hideous and reduces a large portion of the sky visible from the garden and house. Despite the fall in house prices, this MUST be devaluing her property, is it possible to claim compensation for this? We are inviting the planning officer who approved the xtension round to visit so that she can she what she has allowed. There is an annoyance clause on the properties but the cost of taking it to court was too much, however, now that it has been built and we see the true scale of it we need to consider something. Mother in law was planning to move this year but noone is going to pay to sit in their garden and look at a massive brick wall!

Any advice?

cyberbob

As they got planning permission I doubt you'll have much of a chance as any objections would have been heard when planning applied for

MX5huggy

Is what they have built, what they got permission for? or have they got a bit carried away?

Getting planning for similar on your house will add value when you sell

ixwood

Sorry, but I don't think you have any rights to a view, or light etc.

Can you plant something on the boundary to hide it?

Doozergirl

No. She is most definitely not entitled to any compensation. Planning is not concerned at all about the devaluation of houses.

Whilst it must be a great shock to your mother, if and when she sells,the people looking will never have known what it was like without the extension and, to be honest, a lot of people will see the potential to extend the house themselves. That's simply how it is these days.

pp for an extension will not increase the value; the potential of it would attract interest from people but it's not worth the expense of going through the planning process.

andrew-b

Unless they've built something they didn't have planning permission for there's sod all you can do now. If you need to check what they were given permission for, you can usually look online these days for the plans submitted to gain planning permission...check out your local council website and there may be a link to see them (some council's planning applications appear on ukplanning.com website).

Hintza

If I were in your shoes OP I would (as has been suggested) go back and check all the planning documents to ensure it is the correct size, alignment etc. If alll is OK not much more you can do.

Imp

Let's not forget, being able to object to what someone does on their own land through the planning process is a privilege, introduced not very long ago (just after the second world war, I think). Many of the best buildings still in existence today were built before planning permission existed and the planners preference of bland mediocrity.

Your mother in law has exercised her privilege to object, the application has followed due process, and the planners have decided that the extension does not breech any of the guidelines they have.

People being able to build on their own land is an essential part of a free nation. If your mother in law true objects to the extension, she could always buy the neighbours house and knock the extension down. That's how it use to be in the days before the Town and Country Planning Act - if you like a view and wanted to preserve it, the only way you had to do this was to buy the view.

planning_officer

As others have said, she will not be entitled to any compensation, as long as the correct planning procedures have been followed. There is no right to a view, therefore this is not a material planning consideration in assessing an application, and devaluing a neighbouring property is also not a planning consideration.