Fed up of looking at neighbours ugly extension

Bendy_House

It's bizarre indeed. I wonder if the wall was there originally, and the neighb has turned their outdoor space into a conservatory-type room, building it from their side, so didn't gain access from the OP's? That could explain the shoddiness.

Anyhoo, WTG shouldn't concern themselves with that, but just get on and start screening.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=privacy+screening&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjF2P3Cr9j3AhUFRBoKHWniCx4Q2-cCegQIABAA&oq=privacy+screening&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQDDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQ6BggAEAgQHlCVCVjeEmDlLGgAcAB4AIABSIgB1ASSAQE5mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=7yd8YoWlI4WIaenEr_AB&bih=899&biw=1920

Woolsery

Rosa_Damascena said:

 The build quality makes me think its going to be difficult to sell. Will the next owner be able top get a mortgage on this?

Looks like the posterior end of a conservatory type structure to me, so maybe of no particular interest to lenders.

Sandtree

whosthatgirl1989 said:

Hello, I want to do something about the neighbours extension. It’s so ugly. I’ve thought about painting the breeze blocks but then I’m stuck about what to do about the horrible black plastic under their windows. Anyone have any ideas?

Have you put up with it for the last 23 years? It sounds like you probably moved in after it was already built.

You need the owners permission for anything you do to the wall itself which they may or may not be amenable to. You can get troughs with trellis that you could plant climbers in and put in front of the wall which would partially mitigate it without needing their permission. 

Woolsery

Bendy_House said:

Yes, it looks like a fait accompli.

I've not seen one of them, but it looks as if it was there before the OP's block paving anyroad.

It's a pity about the gateway, but allowing for the gate to swing inwards, it would still be possible to create a 0.75m wide bed along there and grow whatever evergreen shrubs take your fancy: Portuguese laurel, Pittosporum, Viburnum tinus,Photina Red Robin, Escallonia, Garrya elliptica etc.

Of course, if it's a tight parking area, that's out!

Bendy_House

whosthatgirl1989 said:

Hello, I want to do something about the neighbours extension. It’s so ugly. I’ve thought about painting the breeze blocks but then I’m stuck about what to do about the horrible black plastic under their windows. Anyone have any ideas?

At its simplest, attach a couple of secure eyelets at each end, assuming there's somewhere to do this that doesn't involve that physical wall*, and string a SS cable between then, top and bottom. Then suspend artificial ivy or other instant screening from them.

Make it a height that covers the plastic strips. Sit some short poles (perhaps Stixall'd down) to the tops of these pillars to provide additional support to the cables. All of that is instantly removable should the neighb require access for maintenance.

*OP, you are 100% certain that this is their wall, and not yours? 

Eldi_Dos

whosthatgirl1989 said:

There’s no planning permission for it online, presumably as it falls under permitted development. The building regs online says it was built in 1999. I believe the extension is on the boundary as it’s in line with the rest of the fence in the garden.

If structure has been in place since 1999 the window's and surrounds are clean. What are the arrangements and who cleans them?

If it is neighbours wall I go with getting some posts and trellis put up then grow screening plants( Vines).If it is south facing and wall was painted a light colour you could probably grow grapes there.

GDB2222

Presumably, you could just stick a 6ft fence up on your side of the boundary. Assuming that blocks all the light into those windows, you won't be at all popular with the neighbours.

Much the same applies if you grow honeysuckle up a trellis to that sort of height.

So, decide carefully what you want, then discuss it with the neighbours.  They might decide that, instead of that, they'll happily render and paint the blocks.

prowla

Just put a wooden fence against it.

Silvertabby

I can't understand why next door used these small windows instead of taking the brickwork (should have been brick, not breezeblocks!) up to roof level.  It must look like a school bog block in the inside as well as the outside.

Section62

Silvertabby said:

I can't understand why next door used these small windows instead of taking the brickwork (should have been brick, not breezeblocks!) up to roof level.  It must look like a school bog block in the inside as well as the outside.

I'd guess there was some kind of plan that meant (they thought?) they would have fewer issues with planning and/or BC.

One of those properties where there's a strong desire to see the inside on archived listings on Zoopla/RM...