Next door want a conservatory.
Discussion
Our next door neighbours want a conservatory. On the face of it, no problem. Except....
1/. They propose to build it only 15 inches away from the fence seperating our driveway and their house. (Their house is slightly angled towarsds our fence, and the rear corner of their house is 12ins. away from our fence.
2/. The height of the proposed conservatory will mean that when they are inside it will mean that the 6' fence is will then have an effective height of 4' 6".
3/. This means that they will have clear sight all the way down the side of our house, giving them clear view into our kitchen, back door, dining room and doorway into our utility room, all of which are positioned on the wall next to our driveway.
Given that our neighbours are the most noisy, nosey inconsiderate arses known to man, any ideas on how to stop the plans being approved?
I have been to the planning office and got a copy of their plans and want to object on the grounds above, but don't want to make it personal.
Andy
1/. They propose to build it only 15 inches away from the fence seperating our driveway and their house. (Their house is slightly angled towarsds our fence, and the rear corner of their house is 12ins. away from our fence.
2/. The height of the proposed conservatory will mean that when they are inside it will mean that the 6' fence is will then have an effective height of 4' 6".
3/. This means that they will have clear sight all the way down the side of our house, giving them clear view into our kitchen, back door, dining room and doorway into our utility room, all of which are positioned on the wall next to our driveway.
Given that our neighbours are the most noisy, nosey inconsiderate arses known to man, any ideas on how to stop the plans being approved?
I have been to the planning office and got a copy of their plans and want to object on the grounds above, but don't want to make it personal.
Andy
Fire risk? (separation)
Is there not a law to prevent you building windows into a wall which overlooks someone else's property?
(I live in a mews, and we're not allowed windows in the back wall downstairs for this reason)
Alternatively you could agree on the proviso that they pay for the building of a new 8' (or even 10') fence between the houses - thus making their new conservatory look out on a lovely fence...
...hell, go for a wall. a nasty, breeze-block one
(on their side, beautiful antique brick on yours)
Is there not a law to prevent you building windows into a wall which overlooks someone else's property?
(I live in a mews, and we're not allowed windows in the back wall downstairs for this reason)
Alternatively you could agree on the proviso that they pay for the building of a new 8' (or even 10') fence between the houses - thus making their new conservatory look out on a lovely fence...
...hell, go for a wall. a nasty, breeze-block one
(on their side, beautiful antique brick on yours)
You will need to check whether they need planning consent for it or whether they can build it anyway under the permitted development order. It depends on the size of the conservatory against the size of the ORIGINAL house.
Take a look at two jag's web site www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_planning/documents/sectionhomepage/odpm_planning_page.hcsp
You need to find the GPDO which is the permitted development order - i've had a look for it but it seems to be hiding - it'll be in planning policy or guidance or similar.
The web site may also lead you in the right direction for grounds for objection.
Good luck!
Take a look at two jag's web site www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_planning/documents/sectionhomepage/odpm_planning_page.hcsp
You need to find the GPDO which is the permitted development order - i've had a look for it but it seems to be hiding - it'll be in planning policy or guidance or similar.
The web site may also lead you in the right direction for grounds for objection.
Good luck!
Being rather practiced in these matters, I'd say (without looking at a picture of the layout) the only thing planning 'may' insist on is opaque glass facing your property.
Buying a high power carbon laser off Ebay and burning holes in their house plants and expensive conservatory furniture isn't the way to go either (not that I know anything about that sort of thing at all....).
Buying a high power carbon laser off Ebay and burning holes in their house plants and expensive conservatory furniture isn't the way to go either (not that I know anything about that sort of thing at all....).
ThatPhilBrettGuy said:
Being rather practiced in these matters, I'd say (without looking at a picture of the layout) the only thing planning 'may' insist on is opaque glass facing your property.
Buying a high power carbon laser off Ebay and burning holes in their house plants and expensive conservatory furniture isn't the way to go either (not that I know anything about that sort of thing at all....).
The opaque glass thing is probably the best I'm going to get I'm afraid. I don't know abouit a laser, but I know my wifes is going to be doing a lot of cold starts down that end ot the drive in future. Cough cough...
I've just been and taken some photo's. You can clearly see into our dining room from their proposed viewing platform.
I wouldn't mind sooo much, but the guy is on disability benefit (for poor sight) and his missus works as a care assistant.
His poor sight miraculously recovered when we moved in. He was scrounging through our skipfull of rubbish like a proper pikey.
I've recently paid for all new 6' fences.
Its is a party fence but when I intalled them and paid for them myself, Shrek, as we call him ( well he looks like him, same build, green skin, altough without the good humour)wanted 2 existing servicable panels back as he had paid for them.
Didn't offer me a bean for the 16 panels I had just bought.
Its is a party fence but when I intalled them and paid for them myself, Shrek, as we call him ( well he looks like him, same build, green skin, altough without the good humour)wanted 2 existing servicable panels back as he had paid for them.
Didn't offer me a bean for the 16 panels I had just bought.
"the only thing planning 'may' insist on is opaque glass facing your property. "
I though that too, and not unreasonable.
Any sensible neighbour would show you the plans
before they were put in for planning.
Right to light or a view is not an objection, I'm afraid. (Unless a 45 degree line drawn from the extension goes over a neighbour's window.)
You'll eventually learn to live with it.....
I though that too, and not unreasonable.
Any sensible neighbour would show you the plans
before they were put in for planning.
Right to light or a view is not an objection, I'm afraid. (Unless a 45 degree line drawn from the extension goes over a neighbour's window.)
You'll eventually learn to live with it.....
They will need full planning permission to build within 1m of the boundary IIRC. Also, you can object on the basis of privacy which as mentioned above could lead to the planning authority insisting they use opaque glass - pretty pointless on a conservatory (could be enough to stop them wanting to build it).
Also, would it effect your light if you were to build a taller fence (at their cost). In view of the privacy issue you could propose that as a solution - or else you will object.
If your neighbours will have a clear view into your house then I would say you have a very strong case to object. Don't forget about the time constraints to get an objection in - usually 21 days from issue of notification letter.
Hope that helps
Also, would it effect your light if you were to build a taller fence (at their cost). In view of the privacy issue you could propose that as a solution - or else you will object.
If your neighbours will have a clear view into your house then I would say you have a very strong case to object. Don't forget about the time constraints to get an objection in - usually 21 days from issue of notification letter.
Hope that helps
A conservatory does not need planning permission, unless the house has previously been extended and the floor area of the conservatory combined with the floor area of the extension does not exceed 30m square beyond the original dwellings floor area. Planning permission may be required if the conservatory is within 20m of a public right of way (like a road or jitty down the side) or if it is on the front or side of the building facing a highway. Typically what happens is you get a road or street and all those in the houses in the middle dont need planning, but the folks at either end do because they have a road running alongside their garden. A lot of estates also have various pedestrian walkways weaving through then too, if one runs alongside your boundary, you may need planning permission, but usually this is so minor it is ignored.
You can build right up to a boundary (regardless of wether there is a dwarf wall, a full wall, or frames with clear or obscure glass, or solid PVCu). Providing that it is no more than 3m tall at the boundary, you can go up to 4m tall if you are 3m away from the boundary. The height from the interior floor of a conservatory up to the top of the frames is usually 2.1m, then from the frames to the top of the roof is usually between 1 and 1.5m, so as a general rule a conservatory will be about 3.5m tall at its highest point.
Conservatories are also exempt from building regulations providing it meets the definition of a conservatory, which generally depends on the ratio of transluscent items to solid items, 75%. Usually the roof is 100% transluscent wether it is glass or polycarb, and it is very rare for the frames to fall below this ratio, even with a full wall on one side. It must also not exceed 30m square.
Do you know wether it actually requires planning or is subject to building regs? If it is a fairly straightforward design it probably does not, in which case there is nothing you can do about it. If it does need planning, it will almost certainly get passed anyway, as this is usually just a rubber stamping procedure, unless it is in a conservation area or a listed building. If it is subject to planning, you will need to come up with a better objection than building right on the boundary etc, as this wont be relevant, its allowed anyway. What they cannot do is 'fix' to anything of yours, like using your wall for example as part of their structure.
Hope that helps.
You can build right up to a boundary (regardless of wether there is a dwarf wall, a full wall, or frames with clear or obscure glass, or solid PVCu). Providing that it is no more than 3m tall at the boundary, you can go up to 4m tall if you are 3m away from the boundary. The height from the interior floor of a conservatory up to the top of the frames is usually 2.1m, then from the frames to the top of the roof is usually between 1 and 1.5m, so as a general rule a conservatory will be about 3.5m tall at its highest point.
Conservatories are also exempt from building regulations providing it meets the definition of a conservatory, which generally depends on the ratio of transluscent items to solid items, 75%. Usually the roof is 100% transluscent wether it is glass or polycarb, and it is very rare for the frames to fall below this ratio, even with a full wall on one side. It must also not exceed 30m square.
Do you know wether it actually requires planning or is subject to building regs? If it is a fairly straightforward design it probably does not, in which case there is nothing you can do about it. If it does need planning, it will almost certainly get passed anyway, as this is usually just a rubber stamping procedure, unless it is in a conservation area or a listed building. If it is subject to planning, you will need to come up with a better objection than building right on the boundary etc, as this wont be relevant, its allowed anyway. What they cannot do is 'fix' to anything of yours, like using your wall for example as part of their structure.
Hope that helps.
Balmoral Green said:
rsvmilly said:
If their conservatory will end up less than 6m from the edge of your building then they need to appoint a party wall surveyor ... at their cost but you must agree to whoever they propose.
I didnt know that, I will look it up as I need to know, it's my job!
Where can I find that bit of info please? Could be useful. What are the implications of such a bod?
Mind you, as the guy is on benefits (in a £300k+ house) money clearly is not the object.
>> Edited by andygo on Sunday 13th March 21:10
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