New build visitor space built on top of our boundary lines

Cosy2020

Hi, 

looking for some advice. We have recently purchased a new build home which in the plans showed a random, solitary visitor’s car space on the boundary line of our home. We were assured at the time of building that the space would be separated from our wall with a 3 inch wide gravel separation. Surprise surprise, we’ve moved in and there is no separation and the space is nose to nose with our wall. 

I’m trying to be as informed as possible before I raise this as a safety and potential damage to property issue, but is there a planning rule anywhere that states how far a public/visitor space should be from a home? 

It’s literally tarmac, then our wall. We’ve already had instances where someone has opened their car door into our wall and another delivery van who nearly reversed into our home. 

Thanks in advance. 

Slinky

3 inches of gravel won't stop somebody backing into your wall.  Sounds as though you could do with some bollards installing at the end of the parking space to protect your wall.

ThisIsWeird

If the outside of your wall determines the boundary, then everything beyond your wall surely belongs to someone else. Doesn't matter if it's tarmac, gravel, grass, or whatevs.
So clarify the boundary line first.
Anyone opening their car door on to your wall will surely be more sorry than you. If you are really concerned about damage, then you need to set up a camera.
But everything up one one nanometre of your wall is theirs.

Cosy2020

@ThisIsWeird I’m more concerned about preventing damage rather than capturing it. 

I’ve asked for advice in regards to planning rules and regulations so I can look at what I’m able to request of either the house builder or the council. 

@Slinky thanks for the bollards advice, could be a potential idea!

ThisIsWeird

If anyone causes damage to your property, they are liable. But you need to catch them doing it.

What finish does this wall have? And how much damage could a swinging door do? Most folk are very careful to not allow that to happen, for obvious reasons.

If you really want to prevent damage to your wall, then I guess a couple of horizontal rubber bumpers attached to it would do the job. It doesn't have to look pretty. But in theory you'd need to be confident that they would lie within your boundary. Do you reckon the actual boundary line is a few inches beyond the far side of your wall, where the gravel was going to go? Are you sure?! It would be strange to position 'your' wall like that - normally it would sit just touching the boundary, and it would still be 100% yours. 

NorfolkCanary

No idea on the length of the space but not sure a bollard would work if the space is short with the length and overhand of cars these days?

Perhaps something along the lines of these: https://www.seton.co.uk/parking-block.html (or simlar options are available) installed at the rear of the space could be more useful?

Edit: is the space parallel to the house or perpendicular? I've assumed perpendicular....

Doozergirl

Cosy2020 said:

@ThisIsWeird I’m more concerned about preventing damage rather than capturing it. 

I’ve asked for advice in regards to planning rules and regulations so I can look at what I’m able to request of either the house builder or the council. 

@Slinky thanks for the bollards advice, could be a potential idea!

There are no planning rules for this.  We're literally talking about the ground.  

@ThisIsWeird is correct.  There are no rules or building regulations as to what happens with the ground adjacent to someone's boundary and 3 inches of gravel isn't going to stop anything.  

ComicGeek

You can get car door protectors for garage walls, our neighbour has them as our garages are far too small for modern cars. Something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/GARAGE-PROTECTOR-BUMPER-STRIPS-ADHESIVE/dp/B072MHGHP5/ref=asc_df_B072MHGHP5/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=272670046536&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16993382064693726386&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006973&hvtargid=pla-720123951250&psc=1

Or https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BYHPR7W6/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0BYHPR7W6&pd_rd_w=xImmP&content-id=amzn1.sym.bf187474-10d8-46b6-9379-e68095e2b956&pf_rd_p=bf187474-10d8-46b6-9379-e68095e2b956&pf_rd_r=54TWDQAVFMBFK5895GRH&pd_rd_wg=UMd1m&pd_rd_r=5ac5dd44-1ac0-4a0b-b54c-b9aa20f8a6ee&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM for cheaper non profilled self adhesive foam sheets. 

Isn't going to stop a car driving into the wall, and technically will protect the cars rather than the wall. Also not very pretty, but will probably do the job for car doors.

If it's a visitor's spot, perhaps you could ask someone you know who is really careful to park there all the time. 

ThisIsWeird

Cosy, could you make a sketch to explain, please, or show what's on your deeds map, because I realise I haven't a clue what's actually happening here?

housebuyer143

You could get a cone and put it in front of the wall. Make sure it can be seen from rear window. Cover it in grease to stop people moving it (that definitely works 🤣). Arguably you are doing them a favour as much as you as no one wants to reverse into a wall.

ThisIsWeird

Hmmm.

If this cone is not fully within Cosy's boundary - and even if it is but someone might have some reasonable cause to move it - any grease on hands is almost certainly going to cause great annoyance.