Grounds for objecting to neighbour's planning application

[MeridasMum]

NDN have applied for planning approval of a single story extension to the rear of their house and I've received the notice today.

We're friendly enough; socialise from time to time, chat over the hedge, our DDs play together, etc so I'd like to remain on good terms.

However, their proposed extension will (I think) impact on our light but, more importantly, our privacy.

Their proposed new room will be able to look directly into one of our rooms. It means I'd have to plant trees/bushes to grow to approx 20 feet, given the elevation of the rooms. if I'd wanted 20-foot bushes in that particular part of my garden, I'd have planted them when we moved in 5 years ago!

Is this grounds for objecting? Or should I suck it up for the sake of neighbourly relations? We're both planning on living next door to each other for a long time

How will it overlook your garden? They won't be allowed to have windows that do that, you can certainly object on those grounds.
It's likely they'll be told to change the design, though, rather than have the application refused.

Being overlooked is a valid objection, yes. Doesn't automatically mean it'll be rejected though. Sounds like it only overlooks so badly because of the slope of the land?

You can object if you're going to be overlooked. As Greyhound says it probably will result in an amended plan ie removing those windows or potentially insisting on frosted glass on those windows rather than refusal.

I'd plant some shrubs now though in preparation.

Here's a rubbish drawing (sausage fingers).

Does that help?

My house is on the right, NDN on the left

Line down the middle is fence and hedge. Pink box is proposed extension which has windows on the side. Thick lines are my windows, both on same level

It does look a little like they are trying to build something the same as the layout you have. Was yours an extension or are the houses different styles? I know from experience that usually neighbors cannot complain about their neighbours doing similar building work...

I'm sorry but going by your diagram I would say nothing about it, plus the extension will probably go ahead anyway and your relationship with them will be destroyed.
Looks like they just want a similar layout to you.

YABU as they are only matching what you have. I don't think you have any grounds for objecting unless their windows were going to be very close to yours so they really do impact on light levels.

They’re matching what you have. I would just let this go if I were you.

It must be a very low fence for single story to be able to see into your windows. Who's fence is it. If theirs could you suggest a taller fence as part of the development and then say you won't object ?

Also, depending on how big it is it may only need to go to neighbour consultation not full on planning permission so I doubt you would have much of an argument to be honest.

Won't they have to get opaque glass? My DP had a conservatory put in and had to have plastic walls instead of Windows on the side that looks at the neighbours, even though the neighbours have a shed that is longer and taller than the conservatory so all they would see would be the wood panels.

Point out that the facing windows may be an issue and suggest opaque glass is used to avoid direct overlooking.

This is for Northern Ireland 2013
www.mybuilder.com/questions/v/11681/minimum-distance-for-windows-overlooking-neighbour%27s-garden

upper floor windows
Again, side windows that overlook adjacent homes or gardens should be avoided, where this is not possible however the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended) requires that where an extension has any upper-floor window located in a wall or roof slope forming a side elevation of the dwellinghouse they must be:

(i) obscure-glazed, and
(ii) non-opening unless the parts of the window which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed.

In most cases the same expectations will be made for any proposal being considered as part of a formal planning application.

Look at your local council planning website. Objections have to be things that break planning recommendations but I do think the glass might have to be frosted.

Surley if a single Story extension. Tlu woikdnt need 20ft high hedges

The layout looks the same as yours.

Does yours look into their garden... What can u see

Thanks for all your input.

To respond to a couple of points:

• They are different houses, different layouts
• Our house is as it was built, there have been no extensions to it.
• Although it's single storey, our back yards are lower than the front so the floor level would be approx 1m above ground level so would be able to easily see over a 6ft fence.

I have called the council planning team since posting. They say if the windows facing each other are 18m or more apart, they wouldn't be concerned by that. By my calculations, it's approx 8m distance between our windows and their proposed new windows.

Ideally, I say nothing, and good relations continue but I do worry it will impact greatly on our privacy (and, to a lesser extent) our light

We moved into a new build house and 2 of the bedroom windows face towards an existing row of houses on a lane. When the house was built the occupiers of the house on the lane kicked off re privacy and the windows ended up being frosted glass, which was fine by me. Why can't you just ask for the same?

Does it have to affect good relations? I guess it depends what they are like generally but you’re entitled to write in saying while you don’t object to an extension in principle you are concerned by the positioning of the windows and their effect on your privacy and could consideration be given to either repositioning them to face to the rear of the property or adding a condition to any potential approval that ensures they are frosted glass.

I think that would be reasonable?

As long as you stick to the planning application issue and don’t use it as a rant about any of their totally unrelated annoying or not behaviour ( I’ve seen that a lot!), surely most reasonable people wouldn’t take offence?

@MeridasMum

Thanks for all your input.

To respond to a couple of points:

• They are different houses, different layouts
• Our house is as it was built, there have been no extensions to it.
• Although it's single storey, our back yards are lower than the front so the floor level would be approx 1m above ground level so would be able to easily see over a 6ft fence.

I have called the council planning team since posting. They say if the windows facing each other are 18m or more apart, they wouldn't be concerned by that. By my calculations, it's approx 8m distance between our windows and their proposed new windows.

Ideally, I say nothing, and good relations continue but I do worry it will impact greatly on our privacy (and, to a lesser extent) our light

Are you sure they said metres not feet? 18 metres is massive.

@YoungGiftedPlump definitely metres. I also checked local council website (scotland)

Would you consider asking them to have a window elsewhere or a skylight to avoid overlooking you? I would have expected neighbours who get on well to want to accommodate so everyone is happy.

Do you know them well enough to speak to them directly? If we were building an extension and a neighbour raised a concern with me, I’d want to put it right - maybe by putting frosted glass into that window so we’d get the light but you’d get the privacy. But I do know our neighbours pretty well, and we all get along well too. Obviously you may not feel friendly enough with them to do that.

Definitely speak to them. 7 years ago when we had our extension plans, our neighbours 2 houses away were nice to our faces about the plans, but lodged an objection that the extra storey would take light from their garden...the plans were approved, but neighbourly relations were ruined as they refused to speak to us again. They moved house a couple of years later. Our actual next door neighbours did not mind the plans!

Re speaking to them: yes I will. They are nice people.

Moving the window isn't an option, or installing frosted glass I think. The plan refers to it as 'sunroom/solarium' and it has windows all the way round.

You realise that unless they are weirdo's NDN don't tend to deliberately stare at you they will most likely just go about their business just like you and won't notice you so unless you are a nudist I don't see the issue

What are the rooms that are overlooked? Most rooms in theory before the advent of wfh were used briefly in the morning of a kitchen when honestly who had time to nose at what next door are having for breakfast or mainly at night when normal people would have the curtains closed anyway?

@tiggerwhocamefortea

You realise that unless they are weirdo's NDN don't tend to deliberately stare at you they will most likely just go about their business just like you and won't notice you so unless you are a nudist I don't see the issue

What are the rooms that are overlooked? Most rooms in theory before the advent of wfh were used briefly in the morning of a kitchen when honestly who had time to nose at what next door are having for breakfast or mainly at night when normal people would have the curtains closed anyway?

You made me laugh. Yes, I know.

The room they'll overlook is our living room. As it's at the back of the house, we don't close curtains much in the evening and have complete privacy at all times.

And they're not weirdos however they are more extroverted than us. We like to socialise but when we're home we like to have privacy. They are just different, that's all