To not want a new garage leading onto my road?

[DiagramsRus]

I live on a private road which just has 4 houses on and some surrounding houses back onto it so have allocated parking spaces.

A house that backs onto our road has now started building a garage that they are planning to drive to using our road. At the moment they just have a back gate leading to our road.

My question is do they need planning permission for this? The garage is going to lead right out in front of a house doorway so surely this can't be right?

Diagram to follow!

I would be speaking to the Property Management Company and also the HIghways Dept at your Local Authority (as it sounds like neighbour is creating an access onto a highway that doesn't currently exist (although they may not be interested if it's a private road).

Why don't you just talk to the neighbour, find out what they're building and if they have permission? It might just be for storage.

It doesn't matter what the current neighbour wants to use it for as they will eventually sell the house and the next occupant may use it for something completely different ie putting a car in the new garage and accessing it via OP's private road. Any legalities and permissions need to be sorted out NOW regardless of the current neighbour's intentions.

I would double check whether they actually have proper walking access to or did a previous owner just put in a gate....

arghh too not to

If you download the details for another property, does the homeowner find out? Like will they be notified that someone has purchased that information? (Neighbour dispute of my own going on! Sorry to hijack)...

From what you say, it seems doubtful that they have either a right of vehicular access over the private road or a right of vehicular access from the road onto their property (which is a separate thing, I think on the basis of legal advice when we purchased our house).
I imagine the legalities will be fairly straightforward once the facts are established, so a solicitor might not cost very much. In any case I think that you would be best to handle collectively/with your neighbours and ask the planning dept whether they can help/advise. Good luck!
PS just because they have started does not mean that they have all necessary permissions, nor does it mean that they will not have to stop/dismantle what they have built if it turns out that they do not have/cannot get the required permissions

No, pleasedontdraw, don't worry.

There's a drive way beside their house, surely they'll access their garage from that like any sensible people would?

If this is indeed a private road and construction vehicles have now driven down it and are now parked on it to gain access in order to build the garage, you are within your rights to tell them to sod off.

Get orff my land scenario?

I would call the people who sold you the house, and see what the say about it..
Before the hedge gets cut down

We went to a solicitor when a former neighbour started building over our right of way. A letter was promptly issued, instructing them to cease work immediately. It was not expensive, but was very effective.
We negotiated a mutually acceptable solution but the building work couldn’t proceed until that happened.

You will lose valuable time dithering about with the planning department (private roads not in their remit anyway). If you have management committee, call a meeting asap, agree a course of action and get the chair to instruct a solicitor on behalf of you all.

If this is indeed a private road and construction vehicles have now driven down it and are now parked on it to gain access in order to build the garage, you are within your rights to tell them to sod off.

OP hasn't said but I don't think that's the case. Look at the diagram - the neighbour in question has a drive that opens onto the road in front of their house and runs alongside into their back garden, and my guess is all the construction materials are coming in through there. The neighbours just want their garage opening onto the road behind their house - and to be fair to them, that's not an unreasonable thing to want to do, though as with any development it needs to be done lawfully.

My bet s you're right. And that's the way their car will go in and out too. If they even keep a car in it, loads of people don't.

Call the council planning department.
Contact the Management Company you pay your maintenance money too.

safariboot at 01:47 OP said Delivery vehicles bringing building supplies have been using the road.

JessieMcJessie thanks, I overlooked that. Well if it's a private road the neighbours have no right to use then that's bang out of order.

Have you got legal insurance on your house insurance? Might be worth checking and they will be able to give you free advice immediately.

Also get out there and take lots of photos and videos with running commentaries about what you are looking at, what you are worried about, changes etc. Then take new pictures and videos every day so you have documented what it used to look like and any changes in case they need to reinstate their garden! Always good to have too many rather than too few photos, particularly before chAnges are made.

Is there no-one there during the day? If I lived on a private road I would sure as hell be turning away heavy construction vehicles, they will wreck the road surface in no time.

Then you complain to the council/local authority. You simply can't just build a garage, especially if it impacts other people. You WILL make an enemy of your neighbour so you have to work out whether it's worth it.

But if op ignores it, it creates a precedent and the garage builder's whole street could do the same thing (worst case scenario). Best to nip it in the bud now.

Do they actually have pedestrian access rights, or have they just put a gate in their back fence without consulation or permission?

Any news on this @DiagramsRus?

If you download the details for another property, does the homeowner find out? Like will they be notified that someone has purchased that information?

No, they wont. I have access to land registry due to my job and regularly download deeds for various properties and none of the owners would have a way of knowing.