Not strictly DIY

But I thought folks more likely to know than on legal.

A neighbour across the road from me came and told me last night he wanted to put an extension on the side of his bungalow and would I object. I was surprised he came. But I guess hes been reading the book that says tell your neighbours before they find out in the local planning apps?

I was led to believe it would be a one storey jobby - an extra room, and I said I didn't mind as I really didn't have real grounds to complain. It will block out a countryside view I currently have from my bedroom windows ( but no one can complain about loss of view I believe?)

Anyway, a couple of hours later - out on the boarder of my garden quietly potting, I heard him discussing said extension with a builder who lives in the same lane as I do ( they were obviously taking a quiet walk up the lane out of most earshot's in the village or across the valley - you can hear a whisper a mile away in our village)

In this conversation it transpired that this one room is actually a three storey extension on the side of the bungalow - its to go into the roof and form a large dormer and the foundations ( its being built on a slope as the land drops on the side) are to include a basement room. This will turn the two bed bungalow into a five bed, two bath house effectively and the extension will increase the size of the house by at least another fifty per cent .

I also heard them discussing a further extension for later on - so this is phase one of a large scale building plan! But the plonker didnt tell me this. I assume he thinks I will not be looking at the building plans when they go planning permission since he told me he was building...... but now I will be looking.

It also means that what I thought would be an inconspicuous one room extension is going to be a bloody great tower over the road from me, totally blocking any conceivable view and the rooms will overlook my bedrooms and impinge on my privacy in the front garden. This he did not make clear when he spoke to me and I would not have known had I not eavesdropped ( well I was in my garden - not my fault they had a confab outside in the lane is it?)

Now, having said I would not put in an objection - can I change my mind? The bloke is not likely to go much on my putting in an objection and wont be best pleased. Could my letter be considered a neighbour dispute if I want to sell?

I realise my grounds for objection are not good - loss of some privacy and overlook my bedrooms from about 100 yards away but we live in an AONB and a conservation area and its a bl**dy big extension three storeys and a blot on the valley landscape. Also all the other buildings are single storey - mostly bungalows spread out across the road into the village, he will be visible for some distance with the tower on the end of his home.

Could I at least ask for it to be screened fully from my view and the road at the front and thus protect my privacy, without being considered a p*ssy neighbour and ending up with a dispute on my hands?

Anyone any experience of such?

TIA

Reply to
m mouser
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I believe that any planning and building work of that scale would have to be preceded with written consent forms to all neighbouring properties, (I.E. every house which can be seen from and can see onto the proposed site), with details of how, why, when and wherefores before the any work can be carried out. If the extension is going to be an eyesore to the surrounding area then you might not be the only to have said you would have no objections to the build as on hear say, but when the plans are detailed on your written notification and you find them to be a huge blot on the landscape, then you have every right to object if you are going to loose things like sunlight at certain times of day, a view which has been overlooked from your property for more than 20 years.

Wait until you get the plans through your door and make your decision then, even if you contact a lawyer or your local planning department for more advice.

Reply to
BigWallop

Your intimation that you wouldn't object doesn't bind you legally - particularly if what is actually being planned differs substantially from the impression given to you by your neighbour.

Having said that, the extension as you now understand it probably won't extend any higher than the one in your initial impression. I assume that the roof will be no higher than the existing roof. Even a single storey extension would probably have a roof which lined up with the original one. The only difference is that is sounds as if it will now have some dormer windows in it. The storey *below* the existing ground floor level shouldn't be of any concern to you. If the ground slopes, it would have to be built up anyway. If he wants to make use of the otherwise dead space in the built-up part, so what?

Reply to
Set Square

Of course I have not seen the plans , but my understanding from overhearing last night is that the guy will extend at roof level and put in a gable end which will be far higher than the current roof which slopes in four directions round the house , thus making it much lower and that effectively this will be a tower with a straight roof on the end. The roof is to contain two bedrooms and a shower room and an access stairwell as far as I could hear.

The size alone though - the floorspace will double with this extension suggests something fairly sizable.

Also the basement will be visable from my rooms ( in fact it will be level with my property because the land actually slopes away at this ( we are on the side of a valley sloping down). So it will be a tower from where I am. The first floor will overlook my front entirely because it will be higher than I am.

I feel very sorry for his next door neighbour who will have this three storeys overshadowing her, but I guess the old biddy ( well into her eighties) wont realise until its happened and the side of her house has the equivilent of a low rise block of flats on the garden border.

As I said, I know I am unlikely to get planners to consider my objections but I would like it screened both for my privacy and because I dont want to look at great ruddy tower ( bit like looking out on a factory chimney) from the bedrooms. I cant move my bedrooms. My house is a two bed , two reception house - and the other rooms are not designed to be interchangeable.

Even a single storey > extension would probably have a roof which lined up with the original one. > The only difference is that is sounds as if it will now have some dormer > windows in it. The storey *below* the existing ground floor level shouldn't > be of any concern to you. If the ground slopes, it would have to be built up > anyway. If he wants to make use of the otherwise dead space in the built-up > part, so what? > -- > Cheers, > Set Square > ______ > Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole! >

>
Reply to
m mouser

If it is that far away then there are no planning grounds for objection because of overlooking. You will need to make one on other grounds. It will not count as a neighbours dispute to object. Make sure you keep checking to see when he actually makes a planning application and examine the plans carefully.

Reply to
Peter Crosland

I was pretty sure I didnt have any real grounds, hence my reason for saying I wouldnt object when he asked last night.

I am p*ssed off though that he didnt tell the truth ( a single room that is a three storey extension , bit of a difference?)

Aside of that what is getting to me is that it will be an eyesore on the valley side , totally our of keeping with anything else in what is a picturesque village location ( its an AONB and a historical conservation area and as I said earlier , all the other homes are bungalows, when they were built in the late 1970's and early 80's the planning dept said they had to be bungalows so as not to be obtrusive in the landscape) and we get lots of visitors to the river and the valley.

Its also an eyesore I am going to see every day when I open my bedroom curtains as well as it being visable from the main road ( for visitors). Even if I put up a 1 metre high fence on my property I cannot screen him because he is so much higher on the slope than I am. It would take at least a three metre wall to hide the view of this monster.

As I said I think he should screen it properly with a good old native hedge , that all I would ask.

Historically, I think its a real pity because this plonkers bungalow is one of the last few remaining old market garden homes built in the valley when market gardening was in its heyday ( mine is the only other one left - they were built at the same time and to the same specifications). He has no sense of place or history this plonker.

Reply to
m mouser

I may be going out on a limb here, but what the hell

As soon as I saw the OP's name on this I thought 'TROLL!'

"m mouser" - you're surely having a laugh. And then I saw a response to another seemingly serious thread by the self same 'm mouser'. The thread is entitled 'adding 2nd storey to bungalow' or something similar.

Look at the way Mr Mouser ends his post to that thread, and then say after me.....

"Hello IMM - yet another fictitious ID?!"

Tim

Reply to
Tim Nicholson

Calm down a bit, a few rational actions on your part will pay off later. Accept the fact he intends to develop this bungalow, it sounds like most others have been done already. If this plan is on a much grander scale than any other in the village it is unlikely to pass planning.

The planning meeting will hear, but is not obliged to accept, the views of the parish council, if they bother to submit any that is. A chat with them should ensure they do.

Tree Preservation Orders can be a fast way of ensuring the character of an area is preserved, and a building's footprint does not go somewhere you don't want it to, but anyone quick enough will be out there with the chainsaw if they suspect one is about to be placed.

Conservation Areas have much tighter controls on development, the conservation officer can be a right PITA, but he might well be your strongest ally.

Reply to
Toby

No I am not having a laugh ( although many people do , especially since I cannot stand mice) and hard as it might be for you to accept it is my real name , and I have posted here before under it. I am sure someone will remember.

I have no relationship to IMM , whoever that is.

Reply to
m mouser

I dont know if others have accepted it. I havent spoken to anyone. Its not a big village so not too many people to complain - only about three of us it will affect anyway and one of those is the builder I mentioned who is going to make money out of doing the development for him . Neither have been in the village five minutes. As I said I have accepted I cant do anything about it, but it doesnt stop my thinking its a pity does it? And it cant stop me thinking it will be an eyesore that I would rather not see - hence I simply wanted to know if I was at liberty to ask officially for it to be screened when the planning apps go in , especially since I had said to this bloke I was not going to complain. >

And where do I find him? ( or her?)

Reply to
m mouser

The Town Hall > Environmental Services > Development Control > Planning Dept. & Conservation.

Try www.(InsertLocalAuthority).gov.uk i.e.

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Reply to
Toby

Thanks.

Reply to
m mouser

Just a thought, but could he have been telling the truth about his plans, and when discussing it with the local builder the builder tries to talk himself into a bigger job? Doesn't affect your options, etc though.

Reply to
John Armstrong

If this is so, surely it is unlikely he will get planning permission anyway?

Regards, VivienB

Reply to
VivienB

Take a deep breath and then look here --

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Reply to
Peter Crosland

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