Advice please. Neighbours planning permission granted, but we were not notified by council

[fruitandvegetables]

We have recently discovered that our next door neighbours have been granted permission for a large two storey extension. The permission was granted months ago and work is due to start later in the year. We did not receive any notification or plans in order to lodge an objection. The proposed extension will affect our aspect hugely and affect light coming in to two windows, completely blocking light to one. I realise right to light is not a thing as such but I believe there is some rule about windows over 20 years old not being blocked?

I'm feeling incredibly anxious about this so please be gentle. Please can anyone advise on what to do, or if anyone has been in a similar situation with a good outcome. I think I need to complain to the council about receiving no plans, I don't know if I need legal advice. Thank you.

@SweetBaklava The neighbours have PP for the extension. No chance to object.

Our neighbours are currently having a two storey extension built and we flat out refused to have scaffolding on our side. They are still building, it’s more difficult for them but it’s still going up. Neighbours & contractor not happy with us but I really don’t care.

@ButterfliesandMoths They don’t have any right to access a property for building. They can always amend the plans! People seem to think neighbours will always facilitate their building projects.

Councils have different policies about how to notify interested parties. At a basic level, all planning applications are available to view online, and everyone really should take the time to register to be alerted of applications within your area of interest. There may have been a site notice, a letter to direct neighbours, a notice in the local paper, but not necessarily. My own planning department spends a LOT of money notifying neighbours by letter, so it is something that realistically will probably be cut at some point.

Obviously, you would have been able to object if you’d known of it, but would it have made a difference to the decision? The officer knew that your house existed, and the position it is in, and still granted permission. Your objection, whilst not minimising the validity of your complaint, carries limited clout generally speaking. I often speak to neighbours that believe that if they object, then we have to refuse permission or amend the plans in some way to appease them. This is not the case. The officer must take your privacy and amenity into consideration whether they have heard from you or not, please don’t think that not commenting necessarily changed the outcome.

Thank you all so much for your replies, you have given me lots of really useful advice.

I discovered last night that our council discontinued the practice of sending letters to neighbours last year - although the other neighbours apparently received one? I had no idea or I would have registered for alerts. Although as @Hannahthepink points out our objections may have meant nothing anyway and I would have spent even longer worrying about it, which gives me a little comfort.

I'm sitting in my garden now looking at a patch of sky that will probably be a brick wall this time next year. This house was my grandparents' and I've enjoyed the same uninterrupted view of trees and sky since I was born. But I realise that I am being unreasonably sentimental.

You may not have had valid grounds for objection anyway. The valid grounds are actually very narrow and unless you do have a valid objection, the planning committee would ignore your objection anyway. Blocking of light/view is usually not a valid objection unless it breaks the 45 degree window rule.

Your energies are better directed at researching the party wall requirements, ensuring you get a party wall agreement if relevant, and ensuring you have dialogue with the neighbours as to agreeing (or not) access for their builders onto your property, siting of skips/builders wagons, etc. Also check you know the local authorities rules re working hours so that you can object if they start working too early or work on Sundays etc.

A big two story extension IS going to cause you a lot of noise, disruption, stress, etc., so concentrate on knowing your rights for when the work starts rather than wasting your time and effort trying to make a late objection to the pp which almost certainly won't change anything.

Concentrate on what you can change, not what's happened in the past.

And if you do grant right of access, ensure you have some kind of written agreement re reparations of damage, timescales, etc., to concentrate their minds to make it is quick and stress free for you as possible. You don't have to agree to anything at all, so you hold all the cards. If they want to put up scaffolding, then you're within your rights to insist on them paying you a fixed amount per week plus compensation and damages if they over-run the agreed timescale. Don't let them walk over you. There's ALWAYS an alternative to them coming onto your ground.

For future reference, you can register for free on this site and it will alert you if applications within 1/4 mile of your property. It is independent from local councils. You can pay if you want to cover a larger area

It works - I've been notified a couple of times.

planning.org.uk/

When the proposed extension is under construction the builders will be working directly in front of my bedroom and kitchen windows. I don't want to keep my blinds shut all the time. Does anyone know about big privacy screens that could go their side? Is that what people do sometimes?

I don’t think you are being unreasonable at all.

If you accept that the development is now inevitable then familiarise yourself with the party wall agreement they need to have in order to start working on the shared boundary ‘party line’. You will need your own surveyor at your neighbours cost - can be the same one they use - to take photos and draw up an agreement about how they will work. Check carefully re things like shared guttering if you’re semi detached and drains, ensuring your property remains watertight at all times, protecting your property and garden etc.
Our neighbours just had an extension and proving points to their (IMO) cowboy builders in the written agreement was very helpful, although we were fairly relaxed re a few requirements for 7 days notice to allow access to do some bits of work, but good to be protected as much as that’s possible.

Be prepared for endless noise and having your patience tested sadly. And pray they choose a reputable considerate builder!