Neighbour wanting to put a balcony in their loft conversion (terraced house)

[Cinnabunbun]

Would you object to planning permission if your neighbour's loft conversion plans included a patio balcony?

I live in a standard London terrace of Edwardian/Late Victorian terraced houses. The house next door is already converted into 2 flats. The owners of the first floor flat want to convert their loft which of course we have no problem with. About half the lofts in our street are converted already with the usual dormer box shape.

None of the other loft conversions around here have balconies. Is this because planning permission for balconies is tricky to get? I'm worried that it may make our garden feel more overlooked. Having an outdoor social space at loft level feels different to just having a massive glass window somehow.

The current neighbours are a lovely quiet couple so I wouldn't feel worried about them. It's more the unknown future tenants. I imagine it would feel horrible to have smokers sitting out there. It would definitely make our garden feel less private if their balcony was used as an outdoor social space.

AIBU?

I live in London and it’s pretty rare to see balconies in terrace houses. When you do see them, I think they date to 20 or 30 years ago when planning laws were more relaxed.

I do think it would be a bit of a nightmare if you had people sitting out there late into the night...

I’d object for reasons of privacy. You don’t want to be overlooked.

As I said, the plans for a balcony/patio for the house at the end of my garden were turned down for privacy reasons and have been resubmitted without the balcony and with screening on the patio area. There were only two objections, one from each of the neighbouring properties.

Loss of privacy is a valid objection.

Gosh, hadn't even considered how annoying it would be to be trying to sleep in our future loft room with people outside in a small balcony next door

I'd object as the balcony would overlook my garden. Most people would, I'd have thought.

I’d object due to invasion of privacy and also thinking of resale value of your home. I wouldn’t buy a house where the neighbours had a balcony that directly overlooked my garden.

Balconies are a big no no round here. If there is any chance you could impinge on neighbour's privacy etc.
It is not just noise but them looking out over your space.
Object if you feel strongly.

Also the potential noise and disturbance

I don't see the issue. You are overlooked in all directions anyway. The balcony does not sound as if it is big enough for socialising or partying. You can say no, but do not be surprised if they object to your forthcoming plans.

I think they'll be unlikely to get permission anyway, we were thinking of adding one to our loft dormer conversion and my architects said it was very difficult to get planning permission for balconies and we don't even overlook anyone.

You can say no, but do not be surprised if they object to your forthcoming plans.

OP only wants a loft conversion which they’ve applied for and she isn’t objecting to.

What reason could they give for objecting to OP having the same works they’ll have had done? The council will laugh them out the office.

Any objection would need to be for planning reasons such as affecting daylight, overlooking (window to window not gardens) and privacy (again to the dwelling not gardens).

Have a look on your council's website and it should have advice on how to object. It's best to be factual rather then emotional.

I would have a think about what is the limit of what you can live with. Could you live with a balcony with frosted glass balastrade? If so suggest it. This shows your neighbour you are not being negative about their plans and are only asking for a wee change.

If the house has been split into two flats already then it’s highly unlikely it will go to a HMO. Your neighbours are putting a bedroom in the loft, so it’s unlikely to be a social party space. I suspect that it means that the dormer will be set further back (it will be a smaller dormer to allow for the outside space) which looks much better aesthetically that a massive dormer covering the whole roof. If they get planning permisssion then you could do the same when you do yours, they are lovely!

If planning permission is given, is there anything to stop them later moving things around? It might make more sense for them to put a living room in the loft with the balcony and have the extra bedroom downstairs

Does their balcony overhang your property?

I don't think that's allowed. The air space is yours too!

Gosh, hadn't even considered how annoying it would be to be trying to sleep in our future loft room with people outside in a small balcony next door

Our neighbours have one of these balconies and it's completely unobtrusive. You can't see it from my son's room which is next door to it in the loft (we have a R&J balcony).

It's not big enough to socialise on.

I would object....the risks are too high as you say you have no idea who elseay live there and internal layout can always be changed...
We had an extension built and the planning specifally excluded a balcony on top ...even though we weren't doing one due privacy...

We did a loft extension and DD's room now has full length french doors at the dormer. When it is open we can see in both our neighbour's gardens. I can also see into their garden from our first floor back window so I would assume your neighbours can already see at least partial into your garden.

I would think that more the ground floor flat would have an issue as the balcony would require some kind of pillars or how would they actually put it up? A balcony directly above a patio would take light away, I think that is more a problem than that somebody can see inside your garden.

I would object for privacy and noise reasons both for you and putting off future buyers. It is not like a window; you don’t sit looking out a window for as long as you’d sit on a balcony.

If planning permission is given, is there anything to stop them later moving things around?

As long as there are no external alterations required, they can use the rooms for any purpose without further planning permission (as long as the building isn't listed, when internal alterations might require listed building consent).

The potential to put off future buyers or any affect on sale prices cannot be used as a reason for objecting.

Of course there's difference between a window that looks out the back and a balcony!

I can see out of my upstairs windows - but if I open the window and lean out I can see a hell of a lot more! A balconly means that the people next door are closer to your space and will have a much wider view because it's not restricted by a window frame and walls.

And then of course the neighbours will sit on that balcony. They don't have to be 'peeping Toms', they will simply be facing the back of the houses and therefore the view will include your garden. Totally different from having a view from a window.

And that's if you have pleasant neighbours. There is great potential to cause a nuisance from an upstairs balcony. Annoying children throwing things, annoying teens smoking outside and throwing butts into your garden, or chatty neighbours who sit out there and pass comment on what your doing or your garden etc. etc.

I would object, even if it doesn't directly affect you now, it will definitely put off a good percentage of potential buyers - this thread has proved that already.

I wouldn’t put in my objection that it could affect future sales but it’d certainly give me more reason to object based on privacy!

There is a great potential to cause a nuisance from......life!

Unless you want to/can afford to live on a desert island, you're always going to have to live alongside others - most of whom will hopefully be reasonable.

You can complain or object all you like. Unless their proposal is in contravention of a specific planning policy it will be approved. Look through the NPPF, your neighbourhood plan (if you have one) or your local core strategy to see if there is anything contained therein that prohibits such development. If not you're on a hiding to nothing raising objections based on your own personal taste / circumstance or preferences

Unless you want to/can afford to live on a desert island, you're always going to have to live alongside others - most of whom will hopefully be reasonable.

I presume you live in a commune or shared house ajandjjmum? Or do you and your family live in your own home because you value your privacy and space?

It's not about living on a desert island it's about recognizing that privacy matters to everyone to a certain degree, especially in an urban environment. The degree may vary. And for many of us, a balcony overlooking our garden would be breaking that limit. OK may have chosen not to live there if the balcony had already been in place.