Neighbour's extension

tonytheviking

Hello all,

I'm after some advice regarding a neighbour's planned extension. We live in a detached house. The house is in a row of detached houses in an urban area. The houses are all the same style.

Our neighbours told us a few weeks ago that they were planning an extension, but did not tell us the extent of the planned building works.

Last week we received a neighbour's notification from the local council, inviting objections to the planning application. That evening the neighbours came 'round with the plans. They left the plans with us and announced that they were going away for 2 weeks.

After they left we studied the plans, and realized that the planned extension is enormous - increasing the size of the house by approx 50%.

The planned extension is at the back of the house and will overshadow our patio in our back garden. It is out of keeping with the other houses in the row; none of which are extended to such an extent.

We are planning on writing to the council to object on the grounds of the build overshadowing our patio. We will, of course, speak to the neighbours too; but they have disappeared on holiday for 2 weeks.

Any advice from this forum to help with our objection will be gladly received.

Thanks,
T

shaun_from_Africa

How about something like this?

Dear Sir,Re: House Extension at XXX XXXXXXX (Ref. Planning application No XXX XXX)
I would like to make an observation on the above application, on the following grounds:

1. The proposed extension is out of keeping with the visual appearance of the area – this is an established residential area and there is no precedent for this kind of development.
2. The size of the extension is out of scale with the existing and neighbouring properties – both in terms of height and overall size.
3. The extension will overshadow the garden of my property preventing the use and enjoyment of this amenity space.
4. The construction process presents potential hazards in the form of building dust, noise pollution and movement of heavy machinery in a small residential street, where there are a number of children resident.

On this basis, I would not consider this proposal to be in keeping with proper development of the area and would ask that the application be refused.

http://livingroomblog.ie/2009/07/07/dos-donts-of-writing-a-planning-objection/

There are loads of similar websites here:http://www.google.ca/search?as_q=planning+application+objection+advice&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&tbs=&as_filetype=&as_rights=

paddyrg

Would the planning department even consider it anyway? 50% is a huge increase and if it is out of keeping with the rest of the row they may just refuse. If they allow it, within a decade, every house on that row will have the same work done, and there will be no patios and the services may not cope with all 5-bed instead of 3-bed houses - they will consider these things.

C_Mababejive

Copy his plans and build the same yourself adjacent to his property.

Forwandert

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Copy his plans and build the same yourself adjacent to his property.

Surely for that to work and have the same effect on the sun you would have to buy the house on the other side of the neighbour.

real1314

tonytheviking wrote: »

Hello all,

I'm after some advice regarding a neighbour's planned extension. We live in a detached house. The house is in a row of detached houses in an urban area. The houses are all the same style.

Our neighbours told us a few weeks ago that they were planning an extension, but did not tell us the extent of the planned building works.

Last week we received a neighbour's notification from the local council, inviting objections to the planning application. That evening the neighbours came 'round with the plans. They left the plans with us and announced that they were going away for 2 weeks.

After they left we studied the plans, and realized that the planned extension is enormous - increasing the size of the house by approx 50%.

Does it matter what % it increases the size by? If the land is sufficient to take it, who cares?

The planned extension is at the back of the house and will overshadow our patio in our back garden.

Is it to the south of your property? What % of your outside area will it affect?

It is out of keeping with the other houses in the row;

Does it really matter if it's different? Do the houses have some sort of architectural merit?

none of which are extended to such an extent.

Presumably, before the first house in the row, "none of them were extended to any extent" - someone always has to be first!

We are planning on writing to the council to object on the grounds of the build overshadowing our patio. We will, of course, speak to the neighbours too; but they have disappeared on holiday for 2 weeks.

Any advice from this forum to help with our objection will be gladly received.

Thanks,
T

Someone has suggested you object on various grounds, but most are quite weak/uninformed. They have suggested "preventing use.. ...of amenity space"; but it won't prevent use; it may reduce the degree of enjoyment if it does block light, but that depends on orientation, distance from boundary and height/size.

Do not pepper any objection with irrelevant factors, stick to the key issues. :cool:

bryanb

the letter you received from the council will specify the type of objections you can submit

tonytheviking

Thanks for the replies. Very useful.

In terms of the size of the extension, I would have thought that % size is important. I think there is a legal limit, although I don't know what that limit is. Clearly it would be inappropriate to build on the entire plot of land covering the whole garden, so there must be a limit.

The neighbour's house in directly south in relation to us, and the build would overshadow our entire patio, with a 2 storey extension.

I'm not hugely hopeful that the plans will be rejected, but I can't let it go ahead without objecting.

T

mountainofdebt

google the right to light - I have a feeling that even though it will block the light to your patio, this won't be sufficient to block the plans.

arcon5

tonytheviking wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Very useful.

In terms of the size of the extension, I would have thought that % size is important. I think there is a legal limit, although I don't know what that limit is. Clearly it would be inappropriate to build on the entire plot of land covering the whole garden, so there must be a limit.

The neighbour's house in directly south in relation to us, and the build would overshadow our entire patio, with a 2 storey extension.

I'm not hugely hopeful that the plans will be rejected, but I can't let it go ahead without objecting.

T

A legal limit on what? The size of a house? :huh:

pcombo

If the council approve then what is your problem, Stop being one of them neighbours everyone hates.