Neighbour wanting a front extension, not pleased.

[Fermit and Sarah]

A tiny update to this saga, as on a handful of occasions reference to the thread has been mentioned in others.

He is still planning his front wooden bog extension.

It is on the back burner now (according to the last time I raised it in small talk) until the Spring

His Sister said to me a month or two ago (she also lives in our village, she's lovely) that she thinks he's being a tt with his plans, and that she thinks it will look ridiculous.

We've got our own plans for a 4.1mtr x 5.7 (?) orangary extension in place a few months back, knowing full well that IF he submitted plans, and we objected with multiple angles, he would make things difficult for us. Plans have been approved last Monday, and we're starting these works soon.

As a final note, having re-read the thread (it was linked on another) Gavia, I hope you noted my apology, my darling had just lost our baby, and fragile doesn't come close.

To be updated in due-course...............

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

A small update. The planning application is now pending. We'll be checking the portal weekly (although we trust a letter will be sent as soon as it goes in)

He raised it at the weekend, and reiterated that he wants the soil pipe to the right of our door to be inside it (photo on page one) so the porch would end at some point across where our slate house number sign is. I bit my tongue on this occasion, not mentioning that we will be objecting.

The points we will be basing our objection on:

Overbaring
Proximity to our property, including being visible from inside our front room, and blocking light.
Being made out of none similar materials to the building.
That it will be of detriment to the aesthetic of both our property and the terrace.
That we are unhappy that he plans to have a bog in it, on the side nearest our door, not a foot away from it. Behind a none brick construction! This risks toilet odours and noises right next to our front door. Nice.

We trust that common sense will prevail, and that any planning officer will swiftly decide 'not on your nelly'

Interestingly, we had a guy around from Anglican Windows some months ago. He thought they haven't got a hope in hell of it being approved.

When plans are submitted and our objection is in I'll update the thread.

If he goes postal when we object then so be it. We're not planning on starting war, but we need to fight our corner. It's not like he's showing us any consideration.

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Monday 18th February 12:31

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Being a wimp and wanting to avoid confrontation is the only answer I can give. We are giving consideration to when and if to advise him that we'll be objecting. That said, we have already advised him that we're unhappy with the proposal, and he gave no concession, he surely can't expect us not to object.

Yes, we will consider that. As mentioned earlier in the thread, Sarah's dad being a house builder of 40+ year will also know regs inside and out, and what constitutes a valid object. He has already committed to 'tear his plans apart'.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Our rear extension has been approved, so planning obviously decided it is absolutely fine. On the same point, every single house in the terrace is extended in one form or another, to the rear.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

elanfan said:

Don’t forget that planners don’t like the building line being breached which this will clearly do.

I’d hope that Blueg33 or Equus on here would be be able to advise on what objections would be the most successful as they fight the other way all the time.

Indeed. If either of you are reading please feel free to share your thoughts.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Supposedly planning is going in for this tomorrow. When the plans show on the portal I shall upload them, and I'll list bullet point objections.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

We've seen the neighbour tonight, ironically he was wanting our assistance printing off a copy of the Party Wall Act paperwork. We've seen the drawing going in to the planning department, but after multiple attempts I can't upload it - I'll keep trying. Right on the bloody boundary line, 6-7 inches from our front door, going out 1.3 metres. We have reiterated to him that we will be objecting to it, but he seems pretty sure it will be approved. We didn't discuss the bog element, but the latest is that it is proposed to be wood structure, with brick slip outer, and Polycarbonate roof.

We're furious. It would be an ugly lump, and he's being a selfish bd. We'll wait to see it up on the portal, then get our objection written.

Edit, a Pintrest link we've saved the image on.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/420875527676286741...

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Thursday 2nd May 20:00

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Thursday 2nd May 20:02

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 3rd May 08:28

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

MellowshipSlinky said:

Bloody Hell, that’s st.

Is your house to the left, on the end?

Yes, we're the end terrace to the left. His drawing really doesn't show just how near it would be to our front door, halve the space left would probably be more accurate.

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Thursday 2nd May 21:28

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

We hope it never will look st, we are going do do all we can to try and ensure it gets refused. If he still wants a bog in it that will be an objection too, who wants toilet noises and smells right next to their front door.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Black_S3 said:

That’s fking ridiculous - can fully understand how angry you must be

Don’t building regs mean he’ll need guttering from the roof going to a drain? Not sure how he’s planning on doing that without running the gutter overhanging your property which is a proper dick move given what he’s doing.

Sarah's dad is a house builder of 40 years. When the full plans are up he'll be getting them to do all he can to rip them to shreds.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

hyphen said:

Have you spoken to neighbours on other side? And the rest of the street?

Get as many other householders to object as you can.

we'd love this to be an option, he's thick as thieves with his other neighbour, and I really can't see a reason that the neighbours past him would give a toss. We're going to meet with the Parish Council ASAP, try and persuade them to get on side, does an objection from them carry much influence?

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

Black_S3 said:

That’s fking ridiculous - can fully understand how angry you must be

Don’t building regs mean he’ll need guttering from the roof going to a drain? Not sure how he’s planning on doing that without running the gutter overhanging your property which is a proper dick move given what he’s doing.

Sarah's dad is a house builder of 40 years. When the full plans are up he'll be getting them to do all he can to rip them to shreds.

ETA. His rational as to where the boundary is, by our reckoning logical. One argument of building up to the boundary is that any maintenance to the side nearest us will need to be undertaken on our land. Apparently this can be something they don't look kindly upon.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

ashleyman said:

Sorry for the DM link but I can't find it anywhere else.

Hopefully you'll have more luck than this guy: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6979927/H...

I did see that, elsewhere in the media. Funnily an ex's road had a detached house on it, whose neighbours extended to within inches, under 10, of their neighbours house. I couldn't get my head around how that was acceptable. A person certainly couldn't fit between the properties.

Ashley, my memory may be failing me, was it you whose neighbours built the raised veranda overlooking your garden, without planning?

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Equus said:

Thread as a whole TL:DR, I'm afraid, but:

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

We're going to meet with the Parish Council ASAP, try and persuade them to get on side, does an objection from them carry much influence?

No, not a lot.

It won't do any real harm, but neither do most Planning Officers take a whole lot of notice of them. They're generally regarded as a bunch of self-important busybodies and curtain twitchers, and treated with an appropriate level of disdain by most professional Officers.

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

One argument of building up to the boundary is that any maintenance to the side nearest us will need to be undertaken on our land. Apparently this can be something they don't look kindly upon.

Shouldn't be a consideration: there is legislation in place (the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992) which gives your neighbour the right to enter onto your land for the purposes of maintenance, so it's not a problem in practice.

Thw fact that it's 6" away from your door doesn't make much difference, either. If it was 6" away from your window, it would be a problem under the 45 degree rule, but that's a different matter.

I would focus on the effect it has on the aesthetic balance of the terrace overall, but that's at least partly been fked up already by the incompetent earlier changes to the door and window, which have broken the 'rhythm' of the original fenestration.

You may also wish to find out what the triggers are to see an application taken to committee. They vary from authority to authority, but will usually be set out in a document called the Scheme of Officer Delegation, which they ought to be able to provide you with a copy of, on request.

If the Case Officerf is inclined to recommend refusal at Officer Delegated level, leave them to it. If they're inclined to reccomend approval, see what you can do to get it called in to Committee using the rules set out in the Scheme of Officer Delegation, as Committees have the power to go against Officer recommendations and sometimes take the most random decisions.

Helpful advice which we'll take on board, thanks. And as per earlier email comms, my intention was never looking for freebee business time, more a case of hoping to garnish assistance from the PH community.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Here's a thought I'm (no scrap that, we're) really torn over. Thoughts from others would be welcome, and may help.

Earlier in the thread we posted picture(s) of his man-shed/workshop/wendy house in his back garden. This I would guess takes up 50% of his garden .There is a car port behind it, no structure on it, at probably the same mass as the none developed garden to the front of his shed.

He has stated (as recently as yesterday) that he wants to build a garage on it. Planning regs state that not more than 50% on the land around your house is to be developed. The other day he was adamant that it is 60%, which sounds like he is trying to get that to shape his agenda.

I have been debating saying something like the following to him. 'further to our chat the other day I have checked, and the maximum amount of your land that you can develop on is categorically 50%. Be aware that if you build this porch the proposed garage would put you in the position of over developed, and we would have to object accordingly'

Pros. He may have to consider which structure he wants. IF he got consent for the porch and built it we could veto his garage build.
Cons. It would be blatantly snide and sneaky. That said, I don't care about hurting his feelings.

Any thoughts?

edit - he also has a 2 metre rear extension (built after 1948) hence this counts towards the 50% reg.

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 3rd May 10:06

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

ashleyman said:

Tell him to crack on with building the garage.

Offer to help him to get it done faster and then use it in your objection to the council that 50% of land is already occupied.

He has also stated he wont be doing the garage until after the porch. We had hoped otherwise.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

Sarah's dad is a house builder of 40 years. When the full plans are up he'll be getting them to do all he can to rip them to shreds.

Pointless, you can't object to a Building Regulations application. Building Control will either accept the plans or reject them.

Ok, fair comment. We'll still be sending him then, in case he has any brainwaves of use.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Sa Calobra said:

Why does he want that? It's neither here nor there.

Does your door open straight into the living room?

Yes, it opens in to our sitting room/ best room, which has glass in the door, so we would see the porch from it.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

Ok, fair comment. We'll still be sending him then, in case he has any brainwaves of use.

It's been a while so I'm happy to be corrected but I suspect that Building Control have no obligation to show applications to third parties, they might even be confidential.

The extension looks awful and you have my sympathy.

Do they not always get put up on the planning portal as a matter of process? Our recent application to extend at the rear was put up.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Equus said:

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

I have been debating saying something like the following to him. 'further to our chat the other day I have checked, and the maximum amount of your land that you can develop on is categorically 50%. Be aware that if you build this porch the proposed garage would put you in the position of over developed, and we would have to object accordingly'

I'm struggling to understand why this would be relevant.

He is submitting a Planning Application for the current porch proposal, no?

The maximum amount of your land that you can develop under permitted development is 50%.

You can develop 100%, if you gain Planning Permission to do so.

Yes, I gather that. Yes he is putting planning in for the porch, and yes, I get the permitted/ planning element, but it could be about planting the seed in his mind, that he may well not be able to over develop his plot, in a country side setting?