Planning crops up after moving in - help

hammy1988

Sorry if I am posting this in the wrong forum (I was unsure if this was the right place?) We moved into a New Build back in June last year, and we chose this house because it had a nice view onto some community playing fields directly behind our house.

We thought all was well until I noticed on Facebook this morning, that plans had been submitted to the local council to do a massive extension of the building that sits on this field. This would fall directly behind our house if this was to go ahead, I wouldn't be as concerned if it was only one story like the original building that sits there now, however it's looking like its going to be three stories high and would block out all sunlight into our gardens, and also provide a fish eye view into our lives from the windows.

My questions are:

1. I've tried searching for these plans but they don't seem available to view yet, how or when would these be made available?

2. What chances do we have of actually fighting this? as there would be five properties including ours directly opposite this building. How would we go about this as we haven't had to do anything like this before?

Thanks all.

Browntoa

It would be on the local council planning portal search if submitted.

It may be earmarked for development in the councils local plan

This is Dartford for example

https://www.dartford.gov.uk/by-category/environment-and-planning2/new-planning-homepage/planning-policy/adopted-plans

[Deleted User]

villages quite often have newsletters and websites, find them and then find the local council planning application online. You will find the actual design within the application details, they will be online just dig hard. I do this for every house I might be interested in buying and had success every time. One house with a nice view had a hidden application for 150 houses. No view is safe any more

eg, google area, playing field, plans (or planning)

hammy1988

Yes I've tried checking all the council websites and google etc. The only knowledge I have is that it's been submitted to the local council on the Facebook post! I'm going to give the council a ring later and see if they can give me any information.

ciderboy2009

Is the Facebook post from the local council or just somebody scaremongering?

If the building is that close to you then you should be on the notification list and get a formal notification from the council.

With regards to objecting to the plans - from what you've said so far then you're going to struggle.

eddddy

hammy1988 wrote: »

Yes I've tried checking all the council websites and google etc. The only knowledge I have is that it's been submitted to the local council on the Facebook post! I'm going to give the council a ring later and see if they can give me any information.

Just to be clear - you go to your local council website, find the 'Planning' section, and it should give you a facility for searching planning applications. You can probably search for the application using the postcode of the existing building.

Google may not help, because it may not be able to search the planning database.

Browntoa

https://planning.devon.gov.uk/PlanHome.aspx

davidmcn

It can take a while for planning applications to be validated and officially taken on by the planners (that's even assuming that "plans have been submitted" actually means a planning application has been submitted, rather than some other internal stage in the council deciding what they'd like to build).

hammy1988

Thanks for the links, but I had origionally tried all of that. Unfortunately its not a hoax, the council have responded to my query on Facebook and replied with this:

Good morning, the Committee has agreed to submit a planning application and the architect is in the process of finalising the plans for the application. Once an application is submitted the formal plans can be viewed on North Devon Council's website. In the meantime if you pm your e-mail address I am happy to send the draft plans that the Committee approved. Kind Regards Victoria Woodhouse, Parish Clerk

Probably the reason I couldn't find it on the council website etc...

I'm so new to all of this, so I'm guessing we can then view it once its submitted to planning?

Aylesbury_Duck

I wonder what the view from the playing fields and its building was like before your new house was built?

marliepanda

hammy1988 wrote: »

Sorry if I am posting this in the wrong forum (I was unsure if this was the right place?) We moved into a New Build back in June last year, and we chose this house because it had a nice view onto some community playing fields directly behind our house.

We thought all was well until I noticed on Facebook this morning, that plans had been submitted to the local council to do a massive extension of the building that sits on this field. This would fall directly behind our house if this was to go ahead, I wouldn't be as concerned if it was only one story like the original building that sits there now, however it's looking like its going to be three stories high and would block out all sunlight into our gardens, and also provide a fish eye view into our lives from the windows.

My questions are:

1. I've tried searching for these plans but they don't seem available to view yet, how or when would these be made available?

2. What chances do we have of actually fighting this? as there would be five properties including ours directly opposite this building. How would we go about this as we haven't had to do anything like this before?

Thanks all.

At some point someone probably felt similarly about your new property. Buying a new build with land nearby is simply asking for trouble, and to expect it to stay as just land is unlikely.

You won't be able to fight it. Having a garden overlooked is no reason for planning to be refused. I live in a semi and my neighbour can see into my garden from their second story window. Its not an unusual situation.