Extension worries

wildecoyoteg

Hi

We've just had an offer accepted on a semi-detached house. There is an existing conservatory from the dining room side of a combined kitchen/diner room. We would like to get rid of the conservatory and build an extension. I know that we wouldn't require planning permission as it would be less than 3m from the house. However, we noticed that there is an existing extension next door parallel to our conservatory (about 3 metres from their house as to not require planning permission). They haven't built right up to the boundary but fairly close. The weird thing is that their extension has a rather large window parallel to our conservatory. Would this cause a problem if we want to build an extension ie can they object as we would effectively block out light with a brick wall infront of their window... We're they right in putting a window overlooking our garden in the first place? I have no idea w hen it was built but it may be over 20 years ago as they are a retired elderly couple and have rised a family. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as we don't want to pay survey solicitor fees etc unnecessarily or even worse buying it and be stuck with a tiny kitchen/diner!

Many thanks!

HelenDaveKids

If you ring planning they are usually really helpful and will advise. When we wanted to offer on our now property we asked them if we would get planning and they looked on google earth, asked us a few questions about what we wanted to do and said it would be highly unlikely to be turned down (they can't say for definite), so we offered and eventually bought and extended.
HTH

wildecoyoteg

Thanks for your reply. Will ring planning tomorrow and see wat they say. Keeping fingers crossed.