Big Outbuilding In Neighbours Garden

[Steve H]

abitlikefiennes said:

That's fine and if he applies for planning permission and gets it then I don't mind. But the fact he hasn't and blithely assumed it's all legit means we haven't had the chance to formally put our thoughts across. Especially in light of what myself and another poster think is the ultimate use for this (see above post).

OP, I can understand your concerns about the noise if he used the building commercially but a lot of your comments seem to be objections to the lack of permission rather than the actual building itself.

This might have been dealt with better by having a quiet word to confirm that you don't mind the building being there but would appreciate some attention to the rear gutter and ask that they use it considerately regarding any noise. This may seem a bit weak but the alternative is to ps off your neighbour meaning that if the shed does stay he will be very uninclined to be careful with noise.

If he has to go for planning permission he will very likely get it, you've got a reasonably long garden and it's not such a huge building so it will be a struggle to come up with a valid planning reason for an objection; alternatively he may just dig his heels in and wait for the council to find that the height is a minor breach of regs but decide to take no further action. Either way it doesn't look like a better result for you.

I've been on the other side of this where a building I was putting up was complained about. I'd have been happy to discuss it with anyone who was concerned about it but the first I knew was a visit from an enforcement officer. Once it was in the system I had to gather witness statements to prove previous domestic use of the land, I had to prove the council's aerial photos were incorrectly dated, I had to argue over their rules on building heights on a sloping site, basically I had to run against an organisation of "professional" planners who were in no hurry to get this sorted.

Eventually they confirmed that no further action was being taken. I had lost six months on the build and spent a lot of time fighting a malicious complaint, the council had compiled a file two inches thick - all at taxpayers expense.

My nearest neighbours are some distance away and the ones who complained are even further but if they were right next door and I had the opportunity of waking them up every morning with loud noises, after the trouble they put me through you can be very sure I'd be doing it.

[herewego]

Although it may be 3m at the peak it's not more than 2.5m at the boundary, which is what the Planning Portal shows and he seems to have left room for a gutter so I don't really see the problem.

[Miguel Alvarez]

I've never understood this softly softly approach when it comes to neighbours. If they've not got the respect for you in the first place and consideration for their actions and how they impact on you then why bother being all nice about it.

I'm very much a fight fire with fire person at times. I'd go to council and if he has a problem with that then fk him.

[Alex@POD]

Miguel Alvarez said:

I've never understood this softly softly approach when it comes to neighbours. If they've not got the respect for you in the first place and consideration for their actions and how they impact on you then why bother being all nice about it.

I'm very much a fight fire with fire person at times. I'd go to council and if he has a problem with that then fk him.

I can agree if the neighbour has built a building that is too big, blocks the sun and drains on my garden, and uses it for noisy activities at unsociable hours. If he has just started building something and I have no idea what the finished product will be or what it will be used for, I think a friendly word is the better approach.

[Busa mav]

herewego said:

Although it may be 3m at the peak it's not more than 2.5m at the boundary, which is what the Planning Portal shows and he seems to have left room for a gutter so I don't really see the problem.

It must not be more than 2.5m at ANY point . You have misread the portal.

[anonymous-user]

Steve H said:

OP, I can understand your concerns about the noise if he used the building commercially but a lot of your comments seem to be objections to the lack of permission rather than the actual building itself.

This might have been dealt with better by having a quiet word to confirm that you don't mind the building being there but would appreciate some attention to the rear gutter and ask that they use it considerately regarding any noise. This may seem a bit weak but the alternative is to ps off your neighbour meaning that if the shed does stay he will be very uninclined to be careful with noise.

If he has to go for planning permission he will very likely get it, you've got a reasonably long garden and it's not such a huge building so it will be a struggle to come up with a valid planning reason for an objection; alternatively he may just dig his heels in and wait for the council to find that the height is a minor breach of regs but decide to take no further action. Either way it doesn't look like a better result for you.

I've been on the other side of this where a building I was putting up was complained about. I'd have been happy to discuss it with anyone who was concerned about it but the first I knew was a visit from an enforcement officer. Once it was in the system I had to gather witness statements to prove previous domestic use of the land, I had to prove the council's aerial photos were incorrectly dated, I had to argue over their rules on building heights on a sloping site, basically I had to run against an organisation of "professional" planners who were in no hurry to get this sorted.

Eventually they confirmed that no further action was being taken. I had lost six months on the build and spent a lot of time fighting a malicious complaint, the council had compiled a file two inches thick - all at taxpayers expense.

My nearest neighbours are some distance away and the ones who complained are even further but if they were right next door and I had the opportunity of waking them up every morning with loud noises, after the trouble they put me through you can be very sure I'd be doing it.

Essentially you're right; it's his lack of basic neighbourly relations which got my back up. On the instances where we've seen each other over the fence while he's been hacking away he could have said 'By the way, this is what i'm planning'. At that point I'd have asked if it could be a little further away from the fence. I don't object to the building but what I am worried about is the purpose of it and the fact it's so close. In addition, what makes him exempt from planning or building regs?

What actually happened is that we've seen each other over the fence while he's been hacking away, we said 'Hello' to him a few times and he's completely ignored us, despite seeing us standing there.

Last summer they mentioned how the hedges and trees on our boundary cut our some of the light in their garden, so at our expense we had the hedgerow trimmed down a few feet. In return, this year we get a joinery workshop slapped as close as possible to our garden. Gee, thanks.

Miguel Alvarez said:

I've never understood this softly softly approach when it comes to neighbours. If they've not got the respect for you in the first place and consideration for their actions and how they impact on you then why bother being all nice about it.

I'm very much a fight fire with fire person at times. I'd go to council and if he has a problem with that then fk him.

And this is what I'm battling with. Screw him and his lack of consideration or try and handle it politely. I'm leaning towards the former.

Edited by abitlikefiennes on Thursday 28th May 09:35

[superkartracer]

It's made of wood, it's inches from your fence... if it catches fire it'll take the lot out and maybe the house.

Get him to do it correctly...

It looks st.

Edited by superkartracer on Thursday 28th May 11:28

[anonymous-user]

superkartracer said:

It's made of wood, it's inches from you fence... if it catches fire it'll take the lot out and maybe the house.

Get him to do it correctly...

It looks st.

Exactly, and there are some large trees very close by too. Plus, if he uses it as a workshop or storeroom for his trade (carpentry) there'll be a lot more flammable stuff inside too.

[BlackZeD]

Would he need any permission to use it as a place of work or as a business premises.
Would have thought he would need to inform LA if its for a business.

[anonymous-user]

Right, neighbour spoken to and it's going to be a games room, house a treadmill and some of his tools, but definitely not a workshop.

He was cool about the whole thing, we had a nice chat and he was happy to clad it in green materials so it blends in. Plus we're going to stick a hedgerow up to help hide it.

It is 3m tall but he did say if he's told to change it in any way then he's happy to.

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments, it's appreciated.

[TA14]

So it's primarily a games room and gym with the whole of a main elevation made up of doors? Hmmm.

[matty g]

So in the summer he can have it opened up. Don't see what your trying to imply. Loads of extensions are being done nowadays where a whole wall is made up of sliding doors.

Where's the sarcasm smilie

[herewego]

abitlikefiennes said:

Essentially you're right; it's his lack of basic neighbourly relations which got my back up. On the instances where we've seen each other over the fence while he's been hacking away he could have said 'By the way, this is what i'm planning'. At that point I'd have asked if it could be a little further away from the fence. I don't object to the building but what I am worried about is the purpose of it and the fact it's so close. In addition, what makes him exempt from planning or building regs?

What actually happened is that we've seen each other over the fence while he's been hacking away, we said 'Hello' to him a few times and he's completely ignored us, despite seeing us standing there.

Last summer they mentioned how the hedges and trees on our boundary cut our some of the light in their garden, so at our expense we had the hedgerow trimmed down a few feet. In return, this year we get a joinery workshop slapped as close as possible to our garden. Gee, thanks.

Miguel Alvarez said:

I've never understood this softly softly approach when it comes to neighbours. If they've not got the respect for you in the first place and consideration for their actions and how they impact on you then why bother being all nice about it.

I'm very much a fight fire with fire person at times. I'd go to council and if he has a problem with that then fk him.

And this is what I'm battling with. Screw him and his lack of consideration or try and handle it politely. I'm leaning towards the former.

Edited by abitlikefiennes on Thursday 28th May 09:35

He can ask you to take that hedge down to 2m if he wants to.

[anonymous-user]

TA14 said:

So it's primarily a games room and gym with the whole of a main elevation made up of doors? Hmmm.

Yup - all reclaimed doors that he got from work. He explained it was a quick way of making the side of the building up. Plus, if he had to reduce it in size he can simply take a door out and reattach the wall.

The side with the doors is south facing so I can see how in the summer you might want to open it all up.

herewego said:

He can ask you to take that hedge down to 2m if he wants to.

Yes, he could and the 1854-dated covenant on the houses states the hedge should be no higher than 4ft. However we both like it and in fact discussed adding some more at the back to replace the wooden fence that his outbuilding backs on to.

It's turned out to have a nice conclusion.

[matty g]

abitlikefiennes said:

It's turned out to have a nice conclusion.

All down to communication. Something that a lot of us fail at nowadays. If he'd spoken to you about it before hand you's have been cool can I have a key too.

[Miguel Alvarez]

Alex@POD said:

I can agree if the neighbour has built a building that is too big, blocks the sun and drains on my garden, and uses it for noisy activities at unsociable hours. If he has just started building something and I have no idea what the finished product will be or what it will be used for, I think a friendly word is the better approach.

From experiences my neighbours have been either chatty "how are you today" types or ignorant tossers. You can tell who the chatty ones from the time you move in. The other type I deal with accordingly.

ETA

To clarify I like to keep myself to myself and don't go around looking for arguments with my neighbours.

Edited by Miguel Alvarez on Thursday 28th May 16:09

[hotchy]

Miguel Alvarez said:

From experiences my neighbours have been either chatty "how are you today" types or ignorant tossers. You can tell who the chatty ones from the time you move in. The other type I deal with accordingly.

ETA

To clarify I like to keep myself to myself and don't go around looking for arguments with my neighbours.

Edited by Miguel Alvarez on Thursday 28th May 16:09

So your the weird neighbour of the street who never says hi lol

[Miguel Alvarez]

hotchy said:

So your the weird neighbour of the street who never says hi lol

Sat in doors with the curtains closed scowling at anyone who passes by. Lol

Guilty

[superkartracer]

What are neighbours ? ha ha

[Steve H]

abitlikefiennes said:

Right, neighbour spoken to and it's going to be a games room, house a treadmill and some of his tools, but definitely not a workshop.

He was cool about the whole thing, we had a nice chat and he was happy to clad it in green materials so it blends in. Plus we're going to stick a hedgerow up to help hide it.

It is 3m tall but he did say if he's told to change it in any way then he's happy to.

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments, it's appreciated.

Glad to hear that result

Hopefully your contact with the council will not cause any further issues, I don't know if you can withdraw your complaint?