To build extension? Neighbour thinks so

[namechangenelly12]

Last year DH and I bought our dream house. It's a semi, decent sized and on a lovely street. Neighbours all seem lovely. Not moved in yet as it needed completely renovating which we are on with.

After going back and forth for a while, not being sure we could afford it, talking about how lovely it would be we decided that actually we wanted to build an extension on the back to make the kitchen diner into more of a family room, and give us a utility room as well.

We got our plans drawn up and submitted and went to show the neighbours, we'd told them before but wanted to be decent and show them the plans so we could discuss it if they wanted to.

Basically neighbours are not happy at all, as it will spoil their view from their kitchen window. Their view is basically into our garden, which to be fair won't be there anyway as lots of the trees are old and dead and conifers which we hate so after we'd finished the house we were going to completely redo the garden too (once we've saved up again)

Neighbours are very early 60s and have mentioned before to us that they have considered moving to something smaller.

I feel really awful to be honest as they seem lovely people and were really quite upset by it, saying they would be heartbroken etc, and I hate the thought that I've upset them. So I do feel really bad but at the same time I don't want to not do it. It wouldn't be an option to make it smaller, basically any extension we built in that spot would have the same effect, and we can't build an extension anywhere else.

WIBU to still go ahead and build the extension as we have it planned (assuming we get permission), even though I know they would be upset by it?

They can't stop you - they can object, but it's unlikely to stop it happening. They don't have a right to a view of your garden either so perhaps gently explain your plans for the garden down the line too?

They don't have a right to a view of your garden, but they do have a right to light to their kitchen window. If the extension would mean their kitchen looks straight out onto a brick wall, then yes, yabu.

I can see both sides, our old neighbours did the same and I hated looking at a brick wall so we built a conservatory to hide it.

There's nothing your neighbours can do though and it's unlikely you'll be refused permission.

Depends how much we’re taking here. Our neighbours wanted a 6m extension which would have taken up nearly ALL of their garden (the back 4 foot of which has a massive shed across the width of it) so all they’d be able to do is open both doors and not a lot else. It would have completely blocked out any light in our garden so funnily enough we said no when the letter came through. If you’re talking that scale YABU.
They’ve now settled for a 3m extension which will block some light but we can’t stop that. Not exactly thrilled about it but they’re not unreasonable to want it. So YWNBU especially if they want to move in the future.

If your proposed extension falls within permitted development, and it sounds like it does, you don't even need planning permission. You need a certificate of lawfulness (i think its called) from the planning department for when you come to sell later on.

This leaves you with not a planning issue but a neighbour issue.

It's down to how you wish to proceed really. You can have your extension. There is nothing they can do to stop this. But it looks as though it will affect your relationship with your neighbours.

I'm not sure the exact dimensions but think it's roughly 5m square. It will take about 1/10 of the garden up - both us and the neighbour have decent sized gardens. They will still have nice views from all their other back windows.

I know we could build it but I'm asking more along the lines of if we should. What would you do if you were me?

I'd do it, definitely.

Yup..

Go for it. They will have to suck it up

I’d crack on, If you get planning permission you should do it.

I wouldn’t. Good neighbours are worth more than 5 square metres additional space on what was already your “dream house”.

Was there any point in showing them the plans if you weren't happy with criticism?

I'm perfectly fine with criticism, thanks adrienne.

I know no one ever really wants their neighbours to build extensions. think I was just taken aback by such an emotional response.

If they're thinking of downsizing I imagine this will make them bring their plans forward.

let them object. The council planners will tell you if YABU.

Our home (a semi) needed six months of renovation before we moved in. By the time we did the attached neighbours already hated us because of the upheaval we put them through. They complained about every tiny thing despite us only having works done during reasonable hours of the day. The house and garden needed gutting. They didn't care that we were vastly improving the look of the place. The garden had been untouched for twenty years and the house was pretty grim.

We had/did similar. We went ahead. We needed the space.

I felt sorry for them, but I don't believe it made a huge difference to their light/view. But I understand any change can be difficult when you've lived somewhere a while.

How important is the extension to you in terms of the difference it will make to your everyday living? And it is worth putting the neighbours out for?

Assuming it's within regulations then go ahead but be prepared for them to consider you unreasonable and it to leave a poor taste with them. It's unlikely you'll find a solution that makes them happy so just accept that and try to be as considerate as possible with the build.

Have you told them about the plans for the garden? That will probably also upset them.

Ultimately if they are unhappy they'll move and you would get new neighbours who may do their own works (which you may or may not like) but that's part of living next to people.

If it’s within permitted development then I’d do it

Some people can't visualise. They will not be ok with it until it's built and then they'll realise it's fine.
They may not like change.
Tbh you need to go a head with it.

Just do it.

We had similar in our old house, they neighbours weren't happy that they could no longer nosy into our garden. The planning dept came to see it after the objection was made and their report basically says the same thing - i.e. only view is into neighbours garden so not spoiling anything etc.

This was all made worse by the fact that said neighbours had the EXACT same extension that we wanted on their own house. The cheek.

Looking out their kitchen window is looking onto their own garden and they see yours if they look to the side? Or will they literally now be looking at a wall, so they've always looked directly into your garden?

Are the fences very low? I can't work out how they can see into your garden from their kitchen Our neighbours have conifers etc and we can't wait for the day that they are cut down!

They are unreasonable for mentioning looking into your garden at all. I couldn’t ever admit to doing something like that. Also not sure why you think their age is relevant. If they were 90 year old dementia sufferers then fair enough, it would be distressing and I would probably hold off. But without some wider context their reaction is really entitled and unreasonable.

Perhaps after the months of renovations, this was the final straw.