access to shared drive

[milkyjo]

I'm hoping someone can give me a bit of advice. I live in a semi detached house and we have a shared drive that goes down to the bottom and round the back of the garden. We share it with 3 other houses. The people in the street parallel to ours so our gardens meet at the back, are cutting down a very large oak tree ( an
issue in itself as we are all up in arms about it). The tree surgeon asked me to move my car to be safe as it was parked round there and that's when I got talking to him. He said the people were chopping down the tree to build a garage. Now am I right in thinking that they will not be allowed to use our drive to get to their garage as it is jointly owned by our 4 houses? They have put an extension on the side of their house so there is no access for a vehicle from their street. Could they apply to get access? How likely will they be successful? We have young children and anymore cars going up and down the drive will be dangerous. Sorry for long post but any insight would be very helpful.

[RedHelenB]

Are they building the garage on the shared drive or just using the shared drive to access their land which the garage will be built on? And are you saying that their house has no right of access to the shared drive?

[Pimpf]

Do they share access to the drive?

[milkyjo]

Yes their house has no right. They are building on their land. I would like to know if they could potentially gain a right of access. Even if it wasn't cars they may keep bikes etc, although I am feeling a bit bloody minded right now! Thanks.

[RedHelenB]

Can't see why they would get right of access tbh in that case.

[SoupDragon]

Maybe go and speak to them and ask whether it is true they are planning to build a garage and how they plan to access it.