Neighbours "eyesore" lean to...

aeg107

My neighbour has built (badly) an eye sore of a lean to type conservatory structure. We are not adjoining neighbours & both have side entrances between our houses.
The structure has been built on to a 3mtr single storey extn & has taken the width from the house & their side entrance resulting in the "eyesore" right up against our boundary fence. It exceeds the height of the 6ft fence by approx. 3ft.
I believe that the 3mtr brick extn would come under permitted development, but should they have planning permission for this wooden structure which is another 3 metres, therefore a total of 6 metres from original house.
I'm more concerned that they have taken the total width & we now have this thing right in our faces against the boundary fence.
I'm thinking of planting bamboo to screen as grows quickly & high, but before I go ahead with this & the cost - I am wondering should I get in touch with the council. I'm also a bit concerned about the building regs also i.e fire risk etc.
Any advice will be gratefully received :j

Aylesbury_Duck

You could make some enquiries as to whether or not the thing is lawful by simply researching on your local council!!!8217;s planning site. Do that before whistleblowing your neighbour specifically. The last thing you need is a dispute because it will make your life a misery and in the longer term, could make life difficult should you wish to sell because you would have to declare it.

that

grow the bamboo in a container and not in the ground. rats love it. if planted, it is not easy to remove and cuts fingers

aeg107

Hi - yes have done that, but not clear. No plans have been submitted so therefore cant see permission granted etc. Don't want to whistle blow, but just want to ensure what they are doing is "allowed". If it isn't then unfair we left looking at it. If it is permitted development - fair enough - I'll have to screen with bamboo or similar, but that is gonna cost me (bit unfair really)!!

aeg107

Thanks for that advice - planning on building a planter into ground with sleeper boarders & line with concrete (I've heard it spreads if not contained)

maisie_cat

It is possible that the structure is a temporary structure like a shed or gazebo from a planning perspective. Our neighbour had a similar structure for a few years, the roof was covered in corrugated plastic and it was ugly. they eventually took it down as it made the house too dark and now just have a beach shack structure for the barbeque & beer fridge. There isn't really much to do about it, we just grew something to hide it. There is always going to be something about a neighbour's taste that you dislike. I'd learn to live with it lest it chew you up.

FreeBear

aeg107 wrote: »

I'll have to screen with bamboo or similar,

There are a huge variety of bamboos - Ranging from diddy little ones that never grow to more than 1m high to the big !!!!!!s that can top 20m.

A few pots of smallish bamboos would do the job, and if you want to smother the eyesore, plant a russian vine in a single pot. Japanese arrowroot would have a similar effect, but with prettier flowers.

PasturesNew

Oh I'd love a shabby lean to ..... everybody had them in the 1960s.
Bit of wood ... plastic corrugated roof ... stray lumps of concrete etc to hold that down in strong winds

Fill them with old woodwormed furniture and random pieces of wood that "might come in handy" ... and a big old armchair to sit in.

Davesnave

More research is needed here on conservatories and outbuildings, one of which this may be from a planning perspective.

I've built a 30m2 conservatory onto my house, which my building inspector has totally ignored, but I'm fairly sure if I exceeded that size, took it close to the boundary, or tacked it onto a previous extension, some rules would then come into play relating to height at ridge or eaves, or both. Quite right too.

Check all this out on the Planning Portal.


https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/10/conservatories

As for screening, bamboo isn't the best option. The expensive bamboos don't run much, but then they don't grow particularly fast either; the others go everywhere; even get out of containers.

Again, there is a wealth of plants which won't 'run' for you to research. You might as well have something you like, or even a tree. In town, my Cotoneaster cornubia grew into an almost evergreen tree and attacted birds like fieldfares and redwings, which then shat all over my greenhouse. Imagine how much the neighbours would love to see those two winter visitors!

Davesnave

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

The last thing you need is a dispute because it will make your life a misery and in the longer term, could make life difficult should you wish to sell because you would have to declare it.

While this could be true,telling the council that someone has broken the rules designed to stop the worst excesses in this situation won't automatically lead to a dispute with anyone, except the council enforcement officer.

We have recently reported our neighbours for what we believe is child cruelty, but the council will never reveal their source and we won't admit anything. So, even though we're the only neighbours, nothing need be declared and our relationship with the neighbours will continue as before at a polite, but distant level.

What the council do is up to them.

aeg107

Thanks - good advice