Neighbour's planning application for new build requires underpinning of my wall!

Section62

ThisIsWeird said:

Bunny's wall appears to be in decent condition. Just curious, but say her wall was in a very poor state, requiring serious remedial work within 5 years. What would happen in such a situation as this, if a new development threatened to cover it, preventing access?

If the wall is going to become a party wall then the PWA could cover the necessary remedial work.

If a PWA is refused and the developer builds 'enough' distance away to not need one then it would be down to Bunny to figure out how to repair her wall when the time comes.  Possibly involving underpinning/reconstruction being done from the interior of the property.

In reality the situation isn't much different to any mid-terrace property - you can't make the neighbour demolish their property to make it easier to carry out repairs on your own.

lincroft1710

Have you actually measured the width of the adjacent plot rather than accept the 3.2 m it says on the plans?

EssexHebridean

ThisIsWeird said:

https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/property-news/threestorey-property-sale-walthamstow-narrow-6ft-wide-b1212480.html

I assumed that was going to be this one until I clicked on it… https://www.zoopla.co.uk/property/uprn/200001413201/

Doozergirl

BunnyBurrow said:

Thank you everyone for your very helpful comments. I still plan to object, but in case it does get approved...

Does anyone have a feel for how much I could expect to be compensated by them if they were to use my/our wall? A ballpark figure or percentage of current value? 

The compensation you'd immediately be entitled to under the act would be half the cost of building your existing wall at today's prices.  

So the cost burden of what is standing is effectively shared between you, even though the prices of building will have gone up. 

Whether you can negotiate more for the convenience of making their lives a bit easier and gaining that tiny bit of square footage is down to the two of you.  

GDB2222

From the point of view of soundproofing, would the op be better off with two separate walls, with a small gap between them? With flashing to make it all waterproof? 

BunnyBurrow

lincroft1710 said:

Have you actually measured the width of the adjacent plot rather than accept the 3.2 m it says on the plans?

Yes I've measured it. 

AskAsk

GDB2222 said:

From the point of view of soundproofing, would the op be better off with two separate walls, with a small gap between them? With flashing to make it all waterproof? 

this was why i would always want to keep my wall to myself as then you won't hear the neighbours but also it means they can't start drilling into your wall and attaching anything to it, which could cause structural damage to the wall.

silvercar

GDB2222 said:

From the point of view of soundproofing, would the op be better off with two separate walls, with a small gap between them? With flashing to make it all waterproof? 

OP would need to consent to the flashing being attached to their wall.

we inherited two large sheds in our garden that were about 6 inches apart. There was flashing on the roof but the amount of leaves etc that blew in the gap between them was a lot. Add driving rain to the mix and the ground level rose so much that we had damp in both sheds as a result. I know that a wall would be more sturdy than a shed, but a rising wet ground level could cause damp issues.

RHemmings

FreeBear said:

ThisIsWeird said: If, however, the neighbour is given PP to build leaving a tiny gap, which would undoubtedly cause Bunny significant issues in the future, could she do anything about this? She'd no longer have access to maintain the exterior of her Victorian property.  Or would Planning (or anything else) consider this 'tough'?

Having seen a number of buildings with 150-300mm gaps between the adjacent walls, I don't think planning would get refused on that point alone.

There are a number of houses in my road where this is the case. Seemingly because of extensons. The walls of putatively detached houses are very close, and I don't believe that any person would be able to squeeze into them. 

ThisIsWeird

Doozergirl said:

BunnyBurrow said:

Thank you everyone for your very helpful comments. I still plan to object, but in case it does get approved...

Does anyone have a feel for how much I could expect to be compensated by them if they were to use my/our wall? A ballpark figure or percentage of current value? 

The compensation you'd immediately be entitled to under the act would be half the cost of building your existing wall at today's prices.  

So the cost burden of what is standing is effectively shared between you, even though the prices of building will have gone up. 

Whether you can negotiate more for the convenience of making their lives a bit easier and gaining that tiny bit of square footage is down to the two of you.  

Blimey. Could be decent comp, then? 
And the 'tiny' bit of gained space is all relative - quite significant in this case, I'd have thought?
So, apart from being probably the best overall outcome, being built on to could provide a nice dividend?