New Development Alongside Our Property

[somm]

When we bought our house, in 2002, the largest boundary was alongside a school playing field. We had noise when the kids were on the field, but that didn't bother us. Then the school was merged with another one in the area, creating a new school, but the still existing playing field was used for local sports clubs. The [previous] school and playing field were such a peaceful space, with an abundance of wildlife.
Now, 140 'homes' are being erected on the playing field. This has been going on since the beginning of this year. The disturbance to our wildlife is bad enough, but part of the project involves large structures being put up next to our boundary, and less than 9 ft from our windows. Our rooms on that boundary have one window. Is it right that we'll no longer have light in four rooms? Can they do this?

[FortunesFave]

Are the newbuilds on the side or rear of your property? Or front?

[FortunesFave]

The minimum distance between front/rear facing windows of one property and two storey walls of another is 14 metres. 2.7 To maintain a reasonable degree of privacy for the occupants of adjacent dwellings, facing habitable room windows should be a minimum of 22 metres apart . I am afraid that side windows might be as little as 1-2 metres.

[Mamette]

part of the project involves large structures being put up next to our boundary, and less than 9 ft from our windows.

What are these large structures? Are they temporary things such as porta-kabins for the site office, or do you think they will form part of the permanent development?

Have you viewed the plans of the development? Did you object at the planning stage?

Sorry for all the qus.

[Pipandmum]

The time to object was when permission was being sought. A development that big and I'm sure there were a lot of objections and changes. Did you get involved with this and see the plans? I dont think theres much you can do about it now but review plans and conditions on the development (available through your local council planning portal) to make sure they are abiding by them.

[CeibaTree]

Did you formally object at the planning stage OP?

[Bluntness100]

Op did you not post this exact same thing the other day?

[bert3400]

It maybe worth getting a Daylight consultant involved, There is guidance by the BRE , relating to the amount of daylight that rooms need to have and also retain when new developments are built . If you want to send me a DM please do. ( My DH is an expert in this field )

[bert3400]

I will also add that it depends what room/window is affected by the development. Some rooms are not classified as habitable .

[somm]

'Bluntness > Sorry I may well have done, I have a memory like a sieve and this is very much on my mind at the moment.
Fortunes Fave: Are the newbuilds on the side or rear of your property? Or front?'
This is where it can be confusing, because our property is a very old one, with modern extensions. It's a coachhouse in a t-shape. The largest part of the house backs onto the playing field, and has four bedrooms and one bathroom. The front of the house faces the road (down a longish drive), and this part consists of a hall and also a sideways-on living room. So there's no problem with the light into part of the house. All the rooms abutting the playing field only have one window each, which back onto the development.
'Mamette', the structures aren't Portakabins, or temporary; that wouldn't bother me at all. They are the blocks of apartments that are being built. And yes, I have been in contact with the council and had somebody out to check out my property (which is another story altogether as I spotted them outside and went out to ask if I could help them).

[somm]

Thanks bert3400, I've messaged you.

[bert3400]

@Somm...I've sent you a message back 😁. Excuse the typos