Will my neighbours extension devalue my property

bappleby2001

I live in a mid terrace house and have done so for over 30 years. My next door neighbours of 14 years have just told me that they are going to apply for a 6 meter extension the a gable roof at the rear of there property. This would take up half of the lawn area of there garden and would block the sunlight on half of my garden. It would also mean that there would be no view of the rest of the close we live in, only there extension. I said to them I don’t really see the point as one a ex- council terrace, always an ex-terrace council house and that they would be better off selling there home and putting the £55,000 extension cost into a new home. If they did get planning permission, would this devalue my property?

princeofpounds

No, it probably wouldn't devalue your property. In fact, it may make it more attractive to a potential buyer (not all buyers, but a good subset) as it would demonstrate a large extension is possible.

A lot matters on whether this is being done with planning permission or permitted development. Permitted developments have a number of criteria including proximity to boundaries, using garden area, height etc. so you can always check to see if it actually qualifies or requires PP.

Assuming PD, your opportunities to object are fewer. However, you may still be able to use rules like rights to light, and party wall to object or force a change in design.

However, if your main concern is the value of your property, you should probably encourage them to build as long as it does not overly damage your current living conditions.

You may or may not be right about them using the money to buy a larger property instead of extending, but it's their choice and not really relevant to anything.

sysadmin

probably not - but it could reduce the number of buyers interested in your property.. depending on the extension of course. 

justworriedabit

I disagree with the above two posts. It could decrease it if not done in a sympathetic way and not fit in well IE looking very odd. It may block views, sun etc and it may put some buyers off. However, done well, it may increase the ceiling price of property on the street and encourage those wanting to buy and extend knowing it can be done.

Taking half of the garden a small one and if small gardens on the back is a negative.

We have good sized gardens about 100 feet but those that back on to us are big at least double if not more but extensions still do stick out

ProDave

Don't alienate them.

Get a proper party wall agreement so that the wall of their extension is built on the party line as a shared party wall and that YOU then have a right to join to it should you ever wish to extend.

It will not cost them any more to make it a party wall, it will give them a few inches extra space inside their extension, and the payback for you is should you ever wish to extend, one wall is already built and you can join onto it.

If you alienate them, they will just build it a couple of inches onto their land and you will have no right to ever join onto it.

princeofpounds

justworriedabit said:

I disagree with the above two posts. It could decrease it if not done in a sympathetic way and not fit in well IE looking very odd. It may block views, sun etc and it may put some buyers off. However, done well, it may increase the ceiling price of property on the street and encourage those wanting to buy and extend knowing it can be done.

Not sure what you disagree with in my post, given that it basically makes the same points (admittedly, with a different emphasis on the potential upside rather than the potential downside, but that's because almost everyone can see the downsides staring them in the face, but forget about the opportunity it offers.

macman

We can't see the plans, but for a typical size terrace it is very unlikely that they would get PP to extend by as much as 6m. I suggest you stop worrying about it and wait until you se the plans, then you can decided on what grounds you can object to it.

davilown

princeofpounds said:

No, it probably wouldn't devalue your property. In fact, it may make it more attractive to a potential buyer (not all buyers, but a good subset) as it would demonstrate a large extension is possible.

A lot matters on whether this is being done with planning permission or permitted development. Permitted developments have a number of criteria including proximity to boundaries, using garden area, height etc. so you can always check to see if it actually qualifies or requires PP.

Assuming PD, your opportunities to object are fewer. However, you may still be able to use rules like rights to light, and party wall to object or force a change in design.

However, if your main concern is the value of your property, you should probably encourage them to build as long as it does not overly damage your current living conditions.

You may or may not be right about them using the money to buy a larger property instead of extending, but it's their choice and not really relevant to anything.

I don’t think it would come under PD if it’s a terraced house. 

Additionally, with a double storey and apex roof, PP would be very difficult given the light angles required