Neighbour's planning application

SallyG

My hopes to market our house ?scuppered by new neighbour's so far 8 month planning application:
First application refused - appeal made - while awaiting appeal decision, new identical second application made -original first application appeal then refused - second ongoing application now "amended"/radically altered a week after decision was due but effect on our "amenity" remains dire - new 28 day deadline ..........
would you buy a house next door to an undecided ongoing planning application?
..wondering too why the council planners allowed what's really a new application to continue as totally different "Rev 3" - would that be a negotiated/done deal?

olias

Depends what the planning is for? If for a small porch or a small rear kitchen extension or similar, then it wouldn't neccessarily be a deal breaker to me. If however, it was for him to build six new houses in his back garden, then yes.

Olias

Davesnave

What 'amenity' is affected?

It's common for people think that a neighbour's extension will completely ruin their home, but someone looking at the property with fresh eyes may see nothing terribly wrong at all.

My father bought a bungalow which looked out over green fields. It was always on the cards that a huge housing estate would go in there one day. By the time it did, he was no longer with us. Selling his house after a DIY refurb, I expected potential buyers to comment on the brand new 5 bed next door, but no one did. As far as they were concerned, the new estate might always have been there.

SallyG

Thanks for your thoughts .
It's all about loss of privacy - new windows and doors and an added storey giving new views across our rooms and gardens - I prize not being overlooked - I just feel the value of our main asset is being destroyed so our new neighbour can have a walk in wardrobe and a third bathroom.

olly300

SallyG wrote: »

Thanks for your thoughts .
It's all about loss of privacy - new windows and doors and an added storey giving new views across our rooms and gardens - I prize not being overlooked - I just feel the value of our main asset is being destroyed so our new neighbour can have a walk in wardrobe and a third bathroom.

Someone viewing your house will only care if the neighbour can see them inside their rooms.

SallyG

If he gets the go-ahead there will be views right into rooms that are now private and out over our previously private garden.
I now know that he will appeal if refused - I now know that I will get no further opportunity to argue my case if he appeals - he can re-argue his case with the appeals inspector but nothing further on paper will be accepted from objectors - the planning inspector who did the site visit said I should remain silent unless asked for information - that means people who object against householder planning applications have to give it both barrels with their first objection or risk not being allowed to flesh out their case later if the application is refused and the applicant appeals. No good being polite in the hopes of limiting the damage to neighbourliness.
This means just about all chance of good neighbourly relations is lost at the first fence in a householder planning application?

Furts

I am sorry if this is not what you want to hear. Basically, your neighbour wants an extension and you do not. The arbiter will be the planning officer who has to follow guidelines and use their judgement to arrive at a decision. One person will end up happy, the other will not.

It is for you to protect your interests by fighting the application. If this is done in a friendly or ineffective manner you only have yourself to blame if you end up thinking you could have objected in a more forceful manner.

Debt_Free_Chick

SallyG wrote: »

If he gets the go-ahead there will be views right into rooms that are now private and out over our previously private garden.
I now know that he will appeal if refused - I now know that I will get no further opportunity to argue my case if he appeals - he can re-argue his case with the appeals inspector but nothing further on paper will be accepted from objectors - the planning inspector who did the site visit said I should remain silent unless asked for information - that means people who object against householder planning applications have to give it both barrels with their first objection or risk not being allowed to flesh out their case later if the application is refused and the applicant appeals. No good being polite in the hopes of limiting the damage to neighbourliness.
This means just about all chance of good neighbourly relations is lost at the first fence in a householder planning application?

To be honest, very many objections from neighbours are worthless. Objections have to fit with the planning rules. I know this is not your argument but objections along the lines of "I don't want it" or "I don't like it" are irrelevant - your objections have to be ones that show that the neighbour's application is out of line with the planning rules. It's for this reason that the planning officer suggests that you do nothing as the Planning Inspectorate will now reassess their application and determine whether the local planning authority has applied the planning rules correctly - that's the only basis for the appeal.

It may appear that you're being "silenced" and I can understand if you feel that way. But the neighbour will only succeed if their appeal shows that the rules have not been applied correctly. If they have, then no amount of objection from you will succeed, I'm afraid. The application is either within the planning rules ... or it's not.

Davesnave

SallyG wrote: »

Thanks for your thoughts .
It's all about loss of privacy - new windows and doors and an added storey giving new views across our rooms and gardens - I prize not being overlooked - I just feel the value of our main asset is being destroyed so our new neighbour can have a walk in wardrobe and a third bathroom.

Then you have two choices if it goes through: move, or seek ways to ameliorate the problem.

For example, is there any way to plant trees which would, in time, restore your privacy? I put trees 1/4 of the way up my last garden to prevent others overlooking.

I know privacy glass is expensive, but it's not as costly as moving. There is even an electrically controlled glass, which becomes opaque at the flick of a switch.

Thrugelmir

SallyG wrote: »

I just feel the value of our main asset is being destroyed so our new neighbour can have a walk in wardrobe and a third bathroom.

I'm sure your neighbour has no intention of you seeing them have a bath!

How much time do you actually spend looking out of your upstairs windows? Very little I would imagine. As most people spend their time in the downstairs of their properties.

Strapped

Thrugelmir wrote: »

I'm sure your neighbour has no intention of you seeing them have a bath!

How much time do you actually spend looking out of your upstairs windows? Very little I would imagine. As most people spend their time in the downstairs of their properties.

You haven't met the old bat who lives across the road from me then, who sits in her window day and night. At least I know I'll never get burgled. Or at least, she'll know who did it.