Thoughts on this planning decision? (Scotland)

[Kiltie]

I'm interested in people's thoughts on this planning decision which Aberdeen City Council approved (work is underway).

Two (close to) identical properties (ex-council; both long since private) separated by their respective driveways.



The house on the left was granted permission to extend right up to the plot line.





During the planning consultation process, the house on the right was owned / occupied by an elderly lady.

My opinion is that it shouldn't have been considered as it prevents anything similar from being done to the house on the right.

I'm just interested to know what others think.

Thanks.

[Kiltie]

Thanks for the replies. It's good to hear a cross section of opinion and experience.

stuart313 said:

If next door is bothered why let them use their drive for the scaffolding.

Access was agreed to by the elderly owner / occupier of the house on the right.

This was my mother-in-law who has sadly passed away now.

We have to assume that she was aware of the plans for the finished article and didn't object.

My wife knew that there was going to be some building work but hadn't understood the extent. She remembers her mum saying something along the lines of not allowing the extension to be "one inch over the boundary" but never really thought about it too much at the time.

Things spiralled a bit in the second half of last year with her being quite ill and then passing.

Some thoughts of mine ...

• I don't think the local authority could possibly ever grant permission for a mirror image type extension as it would completely block access to the back. This is academic but it doesn't seem very egalitarian.

• Even if such permission was granted and new owners wanted to extend, I can see there being all sorts of practical difficulties with the two properties sharing a wall (both in construction and ongoing maintenance).

• I'm sure this extension will lower the value of my mother-in-law's house. The financial aspect doesn't bother me at all; it's more the principle of someone gaining and knowing that a neighbour would be losing.

• I don't think light is much of an issue. That area between the gables was always pretty gloomy before anyway.

• I hadn't thought of the access issue. Owner of the left house "assumes" that his neighbour will always be happy for him to get garden things too big for the front door through their property and over the fence at the back.

• Overhangs have also been mentioned and I also hadn't thought of that either. It's a gable end so no gutter but the wall is cock-on the boundary so the eaves will surely have to overhang.

• I might not have become to irritated by this if the builders hadn't caused such a mess on my mother-in-law's property (rubbish, fag ends, damage to roughcast, dirty front step). It's been a bit upsetting for my wife and her sister.

Anyway, thanks again for the replies.

Edited by Kiltie on Sunday 25th January 13:25

[Kiltie]

Yes, I don't disagree.

My wife's sister is considering taking the house on herself with a view to renting it out.

[Kiltie]

GP335i said:

... have a word with the neighbours, they're most probably decent people who will have a word and get it sorted.

Regarding the state the builders have been making, the neighbour bloke has made me promises but not delivered.

I feel this doesn't bode well.

To be fair, I understand that he was apparently kind to my mother-in-law and father-in-law when they were alive.

GP335i said:

... but after that you'll be lucky if it was once every 10-15 years to fix a bit of blown roughcast.

That's maybe more of a problem though.

I'm thinking they won't be able to see that bit of wall from their property so won't be very inclined to spend money on its upkeep.

I can see them also wanting to cart all their garden stuff to and fro through their neighbour's driveway and "assume" that'll be fine.

[Kiltie]

GP335i said:

Kiltie I wouldn't worry about their garden waste, that's their problem not yours. Whoever owns the MILs house at that point is more than within their rights to say no, not my problem! That's fair to be honest.

I'm not worried about it at all. I'm just frustrated that they obviously "assume" it'll be ok with whoever their neighbours are moving forward. For me, working on the basis that everyone around you will bend and flex to suit what you want to do is a symptom of general lack of consideration for others. That's a side issue though and I shouldn't let it colour how I'm thinking about this - unless my sister-in-law does take on the house I suppose.

I'm also a bit frustrated that the planning authority didn't question this aspect but that's water under the bridge so I shouldn't let it wind me up and just learn a lesson.

GP335i said:

Daft question but what are they going to do with their wheelie bins? Not something I'd want out on show in the front garden!

No idea but wheelie bins at the front is not an uncommon sight around the area in question.