new neighbours planning side return extension

Doozergirl

It makes sense for them to build a
new party wall in this instance, because there isn't a lot of room.   It would effectively be a continuation of the wall that separates your two houses currently. 

The wall should be of the parapet kind, which means no overhanging and makes it very easy for you (or future occupiers of your house) to extend onto yourself - the party wall act would mean that you'd end up paying for half the wall, but only when you come to use it.  

Please don't use the party wall surveyor that is touting for business 'ambulance chaser' style.  Those ones have a reputation for being exceedingly expensive because they prey on people that don't know any better and can create issues where there weren't any.  Your neighbour is responsible for costs, but it's reasonable to be reasonable and you want to be able to choose someone that you feel can get on with and understand.  If you do build yourself, you don't want them doing the same to you!   You can share a PWS between you - logic says your choice of surveyor.  

I don't think social distancing is a concern.  Firstly because these applications take time, so you're unlikely to see much happen this summer, and secondly because if you become friendly with the builders (which is in your interests) then you can ask them to move aside whilst you go past to a further point of the garden.  Take a mobile number from them if needs be, or speak to them from an upstairs window.  If it's that small, it isn't going to take long to get out of the ground.  

If you dig around on the planning portal, you will find the case officer assigned to the application.  Send them an email asking for the full application documents to be made public.  Sometimes they accidentally make documents on the system private.  

wallofbeans

Doozergirl said:

It makes sense for them to build a
new party wall in this instance, because there isn't a lot of room.   It would effectively be a continuation of the wall that separates your two houses currently. 

The wall should be of the parapet kind, which means no overhanging and makes it very easy for you (or future occupiers of your house) to extend onto yourself - the party wall act would mean that you'd end up paying for half the wall, but only when you come to use it.  

Please don't use the party wall surveyor that is touting for business 'ambulance chaser' style.  Those ones have a reputation for being exceedingly expensive because they prey on people that don't know any better and can create issues where there weren't any.  Your neighbour is responsible for costs, but it's reasonable to be reasonable and you want to be able to choose someone that you feel can get on with and understand.  If you do build yourself, you don't want them doing the same to you!   You can share a PWS between you - logic says your choice of surveyor.  

I don't think social distancing is a concern.  Firstly because these applications take time, so you're unlikely to see much happen this summer, and secondly because if you become friendly with the builders (which is in your interests) then you can ask them to move aside whilst you go past to a further point of the garden.  Take a mobile number from them if needs be, or speak to them from an upstairs window.  If it's that small, it isn't going to take long to get out of the ground.  

If you dig around on the planning portal, you will find the case officer assigned to the application.  Send them an email asking for the full application documents to be made public.  Sometimes they accidentally make documents on the system private.  

That's incredibly helpful - thank you!

We'd rather go into the loft than do the side return if I'm honest. The gardens are not quite 3 metres long so removing the side return will make them seem even smaller. And annoyingly, we spend most outside time in the side return section.

We have plants all along that wall and growing in the beds along the bottom of it. Are they going to be ruined by this or will all the work happens the other side of the wall?