Neighbours building without planning permission

Elmer_BeFuddled

I'd have thought a single property that needs planning permission (outside permitted development rules) would possibly of been re-banded e.g. turning a 3 bed house using a 2 storey extension(s) into a 5 bed house. Just a thought, and I know nothing.

Mickey666

Elmer_BeFuddled said:

I'd have thought a single property that needs planning permission (outside permitted development rules) would possibly of been re-banded e.g. turning a 3 bed house using a 2 storey extension(s) into a 5 bed house. Just a thought, and I know nothing.

When I extended my previous house (large two storey extension) it was marked for re-banding on next change of ownership.
You can check a property's CT band here: http://cti.voa.gov.uk/cti/inits.asp and can see if it is 'marked for improvement'.
I've just checked my old house and notice that it is no longer 'marked for improvement' and has remained in band G even after its fully approved extension.

jackieblack

Mickey666 said:

What, you mean bricks-through-the-windows type of dispute or just taking the hump because their law-breaking has been found out?  After all, there seems to be no dispute about their illegal action.

A colleague reported his neighbour for extending without PP, which resulted in several episodes of shouting and his neighbour trying to thump him, in the street bringing neighbours out to see what was going on. Colleague had to move in the end.

jackieblack

WeAreGhosts said:

You don't have to declare if you're reporting a planning breach. As they are confidential no one will know apart from the planning officer and the complainant. 

OP says “The extension is completely invisible except from our upstairs windows” so I’d have thought it’d be pretty obvious where the report would have come from. 

TheProfessional

If it's invisible to everyone apart from your upstairs window I wonder why overdevelopment would be an issue. If it's single story it probably won't have a bedroom so houses no more people. If no-one can see it how does it change the character?

If it doesn't affect you at all such as light to the garden, drainage issues etc I would leave them to it?

TELLIT01

Does the OP mean that it's invisible to him apart from when looking out of an upstairs window, or that nobody else can see the work?  Irrespective of that, it would be very difficult to undertake a building project without activity being obvious to people outside the household.  In the situation described by the OP, I would think suspicion about complaining to the council would fall more on the local resident who had been refused permission for a similar extension.

Emmia

I'd report them (as they shouldn't have started work without planning permission) - if they get away with this extension, then they might decide to do another that does enroach on your light etc.

If course, they might be sucessful in getting permission, and if so then no problem. 

Doozergirl

Emmia said:

I'd report them - if they get away with this extension, then they might decide to do another that does enroach on your light etc.

They've applied for permission, they've just jumped the gun on it, probably because they expect it to be approved. 

Planning officers visit site.  They've either already been out and given a positive indication, or they will be coming out anyway. 

I don't see the point in reporting something that doesn't affect anyone, especially when the planners already know about it. 

FaceHead

Emmia said:

 if they get away with this extension, then they might decide to do another that does enroach on your light

And if they did such a further development, I'd suggest that would be the time to report it. If the development isn't harming the OP, I don't see why they'd want to get in the way of someone enjoying their property.

Developing the properties and adding value is generally good for everyone in the area if you're not losing light or getting overlooked. 

EchoLocation

Take it from me, an extension being considered 'over-development' by a parish council, is in no way guaranteed to be rejected by a county council at all. The question the OP really has to ask themselves is whether the fall out with their neighbour will be worth it.