Advice - Neighbour building ugliest extension imaginable!

[Thr33]

What would you do?

A good neighbour who we get along great with has submitted a planning application for THE most ugly and out of character two story extension I have possibly ever seen. It’s the kind of design that would make you want to object even if you didn’t live in the area, it’s that bad.

Ordinary I would object immediately if I saw this kind of planning application as it will significantly damage the appearance of the surrounding houses but feel it’s impossible to object as it will irreversibly damage neighbour relations.

Do you agree?

[Nicetobenice]

Does the extension conform to general planning principles otherwise?

Or are they simply trying to get something massive through in the hope the planners don't notice?

[BIG MOLE]

I designed and built my own house. I went through 3 rounds of planning, partly due to objections by 4 of my neighbours.

I could see where they were coming from with said objections and I am still on very good terms with all of them.

What did help, I think, is that all 4 neighbours came to talk to me prior to officially objecting through the council portal. If you do get on well, it might be worth going around for a chat first.

[Lotobear]

If they'd been a truly good neighbour they would have opened a dialogue with all proximate neighbours first to avoid just this.

I'd suggest you politely ask to discuss your concerns with them - it's not too late to vary the application but once it's approved (assuming it is) the cats out of the bag so to speak.

[iphonedyou]

Lotobear said:

If they'd been a truly good neighbour they would have opened a dialogue with all proximate neighbours first to avoid just this.

I'd suggest you politely ask to discuss your concerns with them - it's not too late to vary the application but once it's approved (assuming it is) the cats out of the bag so to speak.

Indeed. We were permitted development but still went to each of the immediate neighbours with a bottle of wine and brief letter apologising in advance for any disruption and promising to rectify any issues immediately.

[dave123456]

Another, albeit unlikely, perspective is that they may actually be grateful if you object. Architects, in my experience, can be quite self indulgent and bolshy, so they may actually agree it’s a crap design.

I’d speak to them about it and explain your concerns in a polite way.

Having tried to explain it to my father before when he has grumbled to his neighbour, try and remember that communication is relatively little to do with words. So go round in the right mindset, and be prepared to step back if you are met with adversity. I get the impression my father almost pre rehearsed a speech that was ever-so-polite but was delivered atop a heap of simmering anger that came through loud and clear. Not a particularly good idea.

[Thr33]

Thank you for the replies, sounds like the consensus is to speak to the neighbours about it. Still very awkward but the design is so ‘out there’ that it’s quite difficult to ignore. We knew that they were intending to have significant work done which is fair enough but wasn’t expecting the design to look the way it does (think shipping containers used to extend a thatched cottage and you’ll be in the same ballpark).

[AndyC_123]

Just respond on the planning portal as a different address (kill 2 birds with 1 stone if you don't like that neighbour...)

[mikey_b]

Lotobear said:

If they'd been a truly good neighbour they would have opened a dialogue with all proximate neighbours first to avoid just this.

I'd suggest you politely ask to discuss your concerns with them - it's not too late to vary the application but once it's approved (assuming it is) the cats out of the bag so to speak.

The difficulty is that there is always someone that won't want you to do anything to your house, and will object no matter what is proposed, just because they don't want the noise/vans/lorries that inevitably accompany larger building works for a few months. You will never keep all the neighbours happy and it can be a fools errand trying. The risk is that in trying too hard to avoid annoying someone who basically just wants to be annoyed, you end up building something that you doesn't fully meet your goals - but still costs you a ton of money.

[John D.]

AndyC_123 said:

Just respond on the planning portal as a different address (kill 2 birds with 1 stone if you don't like that neighbour...)

I like your style.

[Arrivalist]

I’d definitely talk to the neighbour. If you weren’t bothered about this, you wouldn’t have posted on here.

Being a good neighbour doesn’t mean staying quiet to avoid upset, it means talking through issues openly and honestly.

[J6542]

Thr33 said:

Thank you for the replies, sounds like the consensus is to speak to the neighbours about it. Still very awkward but the design is so out there that it s quite difficult to ignore. We knew that they were intending to have significant work done which is fair enough but wasn t expecting the design to look the way it does (think shipping containers used to extend a thatched cottage and you ll be in the same ballpark).

You may find your neighbour agrees with you but has been told that the only way to get through planning is to have the extension as a complete contrast to the original house.

[Help78]

GDPR rules mean that your objection letter, if published, will not contain your name or address.

Therefore your neighbour will only be able to identify you if you include identifying info within the objection e.g. "The new first floor window will directly overlook my patio area".

If your objection is more general and suggesting it is not in-keeping with the surrounding landscape then they will be none the wiser.

Depending on how vehemently opposed you are or are going to be impacted it might be worth a few quid on hiring a planning consultant to review the application and write a letter outlining all the ways it fails to meet planning policy as otherwise it's easy to fall into the trap of objecting on grounds that the Planning Officer cannot consider.

[WrekinCrew]

Help78 said:

GDPR rules mean that your objection letter, if published, will not contain your name or address.

That's not true. Here's an example from our LA planning portal. No qualms posting here as it's a matter of public record.

[Grant Urismo]

The GDPR does not overrule preexisting legal requirements to disclose information:

"...GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data consisting of information that the controller is obliged by an enactment to make available to the public..." – Data Protection Act 2018 Schedule 2, 5 (1)

[Actual]

In Buckinghamshire public comments to planning applications are not visible even anonymously.

[alscar]

The councils like Buckinghamshire that have stopped showing even any objection ( or support ) letters have I think also and purely coincidentally changed to Labour control prior to such a decision.
Even if this isn't the case it very conveniently stops any neighbour's jumping on the band wagon of objections.
Redacting names and addresses under GDPR seems un controversial though.

[Steve H]

alscar said:

The councils like Buckinghamshire that have stopped showing even any objection ( or support ) letters have I think also and purely coincidentally changed to Labour control prior to such a decision.
Even if this isn't the case it very conveniently stops any neighbour's jumping on the band wagon of objections.
Redacting names and addresses under GDPR seems un controversial though.

I find it extremely controversial. In fact I thought as a public process there was an obligation to publish all parts of it (after a decision had been made) to demonstrate openness and to allow all information to be available in case of appeal etc.


OP, I would have a word first and see if any alterations might be possible, although if plans have already been put in it may just be a case of telling your neighbour that you feel obliged to object officially.

I’m sure a number of us would also be very curious to see the designs for this monstrosity BTW.

[alscar]

Steve H said:

alscar said:

The councils like Buckinghamshire that have stopped showing even any objection ( or support ) letters have I think also and purely coincidentally changed to Labour control prior to such a decision.
Even if this isn't the case it very conveniently stops any neighbour's jumping on the band wagon of objections.
Redacting names and addresses under GDPR seems un controversial though.

I find it extremely controversial. In fact I thought as a public process there was an obligation to publish all parts of it (after a decision had been made) to demonstrate openness and to allow all information to be available in case of appeal etc.


OP, I would have a word first and see if any alterations might be possible, although if plans have already been put in it may just be a case of telling your neighbour that you feel obliged to object officially.

I m sure a number of us would also be very curious to see the designs for this monstrosity BTW.

The redacting of the name and address I get its then not publishing any of the redacted letter I find extremely controversial I quite agree.

[Soloman Dodd]

I too would be interested in this distressing protuberance.