Is planning permission needed?

N400effect

We live in a 'link detached' house whereby our garage is attached to our neighbours garage (space house garage garage house space). The garages share a pitched roof.

My neighbour is getting an extension- converting downstairs into a room (but building a new wall so it doesn't touch our breezeblock partition) but also building upwards to make it 2 story. They will be setting it back one metre.

Question... do they need planning permission? I'm not sure if the new room will be going the full width of the garage up to our boundary or whether it will be 1 metre away from boundary (as the council planning lady told me it would have to be?) Either way would they be required for planning permission? I didn't directly ask that on the phone when seeking advice.

My worry is its a shared pitched roof so worried about damage but furthermore at the moment our conservatory is not overlooked at all and it will be with a new room as it will be in direct line view (unless they didnt have window at the back). Our hall window would be opening up to stare at some brick. Also no other house is like it, yes there are normal detached houses with extensions but not a single link detached is extended.

Thank you!!!

Doozergirl

By what you say, the second storey would need planning permission, yes. Unless you're in a designated area or permitted development rights have been removed, the garage conversion wouldn't need permission.

In my local authority area they wouldn't get it because of the potential terracing effect.

ProbablyNotTheDriver

As above really. You can’t build a first floor/two storey side extension under permitted development rights so it would need planning permission.

In my local authority area, they probably would get permission if they kept a 1m gap to the side though- subject to the design and impact on residential amenity being otherwise ok. There is variety with how side extensions are assessed between different local authorities.