Extension - Neighbour conservatory

TheProfessional

Hi all,

I am viewing a house tomorrow where I would plan to extend single story rearwards. The adjoining semi has a conservatory and I would probably match the depth of that which would block some of the light of the small upper side windows of his. I have also noticed from the picture and from the pictures the last time the house was sold that the conservatory gutter actually seems to come over the boundary. Does this make an extension a non-starter?  Thanks

dimbo61

The house already has a number of extensions at the side and back.
Will you get planning permission ?
Could you check on the council planning website if Both houses had planning permission for the work that has already been done

dimbo61

Your 3 photos show 2 houses 

TheProfessional

Hi sorry it's the same house. The last picture is the house when it was sold in 2016. The new picture is the house now. Just thought the old picture might show the conservatory gutter better.
Yes the house we are looking at has been extended. The two story extension by 3m and the single story by approx 2m. In my understanding we can go out further using the neighbour consultation scheme or just a full application. If the neighbours proximity and gutter would cause an issue we wouldn't purchase. I will look to see if his conservatory has had planning permission.
Thanks 

letsbetfair

Maybe chat with the neighbour if you can? Whatever the legalities are, it's not ideal if you're doing something that annoys the neighbour soon after moving in!

Silvertabby

Guttering apart, I'm amazed that the conservatory was built with those little windows on the boundary line.  Brick all the way up would have looked far nicer than that awful frosted glass.

MalMonroe

I think it looks awful. I'd not buy that house at all. 

Would you need planning permission for a conservatory? 

It seems to me that the house on the right has just taken over the space at the back and it would really annoy me that the guttering comes over the fence. Is that the boundary? The neighbours on the right have really taken liberties! 

With this, I see trouble ahead. And why are the vendors leaving after only four years?? Hmmm. 

Don't do it!! There must be other more decent properties around to throw your money at.

Davesnave

MalMonroe said:

I think it looks awful. I'd not buy that house at all. 

Would you need planning permission for a conservatory? 

It seems to me that the house on the right has just taken over the space at the back and it would really annoy me that the guttering comes over the fence. Is that the boundary? The neighbours on the right have really taken liberties! 

With this, I see trouble ahead. And why are the vendors leaving after only four years?? Hmmm. 

Don't do it!! There must be other more decent properties around to throw your money at.

I love uninformed posts like this!

Firstly people buy houses for all sorts of reasons, so whether you'd buy it is irrelevant. We bought an unconventional-looking house because, on consulting the relevant OS map, it was virtually the only one on that side of town that had 1/4 acre plot and wasn't of mansion-like proportions. We did rather well with it when larger plots became more desirable.

Secondly, the neighbouring house may have built on the boundary by agreement creating a party wall. If they have done that, it's sensible, because it would allow the OP, or anyone else, to use the wall as part of their extension or conservatory. The gutter can be sorted then. Too often one see extensions not built on a party wall with a piddling, unmaintainable gap between, which fills with leaves and other grot.

No, nobody outside conservation areas etc needs PP for a normal conservatory extension, but as another poster has pointed out, other kinds of development might not now be possible with this house

TheProfessional

Thanks all, the rest of the house is nice but the conservatory is just giving me that little niggle inside. 
The vendors are moving back to Scotland and the house is keenly priced. They had 30 viewings on the weekend. 
I wouldn't have the money to do the extension anytime in the next couple of years but would only buy if it was feasible. The other option would be to just accept the guttering is a couple of inches over the boundary but build my own wall up alongside as necessary so the extension steps in a little. I would do everything I could to minimise interference eg keeping the roof tight and not making it any larger than seemed reasonable. 
The house is on a particularly sought after road due to location and house styles etc.
I'll see how I feel when I see it this afternoon!

Scotbot

 Bear in mind that whatever the planning and building regs are now they could be different in a few years time.

TheProfessional

Went to see the house. The wall is actually just a wall and not the bottom half of the conservatory. The gutter does encroach a couple of inches. Spoke to a planning person on the phone and they said don't buy a house in a rush if you aren't sure and if you are relying on an extension that may or may not be possible. He did say most things are possible with the correct building work and there are ways round things. The estate agent also said they shouldn't have built as they have.

The rest of the house is nice but just a bit small especially without extension and also I just don't want neighbour grief considering currently I love my neighbours.

Will be passing on the house.
Thanks for everyone's input