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?

Neighbours current view into your back garden doesn’t exactly give you any privacy, I would be wanting to stop this anyway, either with a boundary fence/hedge within reason not to obstruct light through their window. I wouldn’t let them dictate what you can and can’t do in a house which you are settling in and they are potentially going to up sticks and move in a few years. In my view it doesn’t pay to get too close to neighbours, remain friendly/civil then draw the line.

I wouldn't be happy. You will be reducing the value of their home.

I don't understand why you bought the house in the first place if it wasn't big enough.

Having had building control around yesterday to discuss our possible plans for an extension, I may be able to help with this.

Legally, you can build outwards from your house by 3m and across 5m without planning permission, but it is always best to involve building control before, during and after the build so that they can sign the extension off and it legally becomes part of your house.

In your situation, I would probably tell the neighbours you'll be putting a 6ft fence up all the way around your garden anyhow to maintain your privacy. We've done it on one side and all across the back, we've left the other side as there is a very elderly lady that lives alone there and we feel it's a little much to continue the fence at this point in time, but we do have quite a high bush so that maintains some privacy.

The only people that have a 'right' to the view in your garden is the people that live in your house!

Hope this helps x

@MoreCheeseDear how is restricting the view into OP's garden reducing the value of their home? OP's garden is theirs, it's part of the house they purchased, it's not there for everyone's pleasure!

We removed the diseased conifers that came with our new house after we'd been there a few years. Cue mega tantrum from neighbour "you've ruined my life, I can see a house". In a suburb. Where there are many houses to be seen. Silly bat.

I would imagine they are more concerned with the noise and disruption that you will be forcing on them.
I have a disabled child who would suffer from constant meltdowns and terrible distress from having a lot of building noise in such close proximity to our house, maybe if they are elderly and/or unwell they are very worried about the same thing.

Planning rules, processes and decisions are there to ensure that these matters are (generally) determined on the basis of common sense and not emotions.

If it’s accepted by planning, you’d be fine to go ahead.

I say this as someone who generally doesn’t understand buying a new (to you) house just to whack a great extension on it. Just buy something closer to you want in the first place. So I’m inclined to emotionally consider “YABU” because of that but practically, I don’t.

We're about to go through something similar. We're end of terrace but then there is another row of houses after a small brick arch way, the neighbors attached to us are fine with whatever we want to do but the ones over the arch way complain about everything so I'm expecting backlash. However, my disabled son needs somewhere safe to live and the ability to have his treatments at home rather than living in hospital for half the year, it's the perfect location and we're settled so it's tough I'm afraid. You can't please everyone.

Go ahead and submit the plans. Objections from neighbours are relatively common and will not stop you from getting your planning permission if their reasons aren't valid.

Planning decisions are made on planning grounds. A view is not a valid planning reason for objecting. Reasonable objections include the extension being too big / dominant in relation to the surrounding area and being stylistically out of keeping with the street scene. You can find a list online. It isn't comprehensive, but gives you an idea. You can also read your local plan to get an idea of what local planning priorities are.

I think a lot of you have very sanitized ideas if what a garden should look like. Diseased and dead trees, hadn't ben touched for 20 years... I lived big old rambling gardens and feel skin to physical pain when trees are removed arbitrarily.
I also agree with previous PPs, you have already put them through 6 months of renovation hall so unlikely to have a positive relationship already. And if you weren't expecting criticism why ask!
No doubt you will carry on regardless, no one has any consideration for others around them and their neighborhoods anymore.

Our neighbours are planning a 'death star' type extension between our houses. We objected and it was approved subject to amends. No one is really bu. We were within our rights to object and they are within their rights to proceed.
Now they are giving us the cold shoulder and refuse to acknowldge we exist. It's weird and awkward. If you are prepared to live in close proximity to ppl who hate your guts then plough on. Some would be bothered by such things, some wouldn't care less.

*You will be reducing the value of their home.

I don't understand why you bought the house in the first place if it wasn't big enough.*

^^ What a load of rubbish. You will in no way be impacting the value of their house. Also sometimes it is easier and more affordable to buy a house that needs alteration than buy one that is finished (to someone else's standards).

OP the fact of the matter is they have probably lived there a long time and don't want change. Yes your current renovations have been disturbing for them and so a further extension will impact them, while it is being built, but they need to accept that the way we live in houses has changed and a house that hasn't been touched for years next to them was always going to be remodelled once sold.

You just have to go ahead. If you want to maintain good relations just keep them informed, especially when noisy parts of the build will occur (e.g. groundworks) and send over the odd bottle of wine/flowers etc. Apologise for the disruption but get on with it.

There are certain controlling types who are adverse to any changes. They get quite proprietorial as they’ve been there longer.

We had similar with our batty neighbours. We erected a fence for privacy & they complained they could no longer see our garden, although they had already erected a similar fence on the other side.

Our garden incidentally is not glorious rolling acres just a very small poorly maintained urban space.

You crack on and do what you want Nelly. Don’t be intimidated by their childish behaviour, we had to tolerate tears & tantrums too.

Legally, you can build outwards from your house by 3m and across 5m without planning permission

This is not always the case, btw. You should always, always check what applies to your specific property.

how is restricting the view into OP's garden reducing the value of their home? OP's garden is theirs, it's part of the house they purchased, it's not there for everyone's pleasure!

What would you rather see from your kitchen window? A garden or a brick wall?

I hope OP isn't planning to have an intrusive window so that they can see into he neighbour's house. But I'm guessing she will because she obviously doesn't give a fuck about their feelings.

Every house that's been sold in our road for many years has been turned into a mini mansion with high fences, usually before the new owners move in. We are still in our original semi, we are the odd ones out now.

Just crack on OP, be pleasant, but be firm, they're lucky you only want a small single story extension.

But I'm guessing she will because she obviously doesn't give a fuck about their feelings.

Literally this whole thread is because OP clearly does care about their feelings. If she didn't she wouldn't have shown the neighbours the plans in the first place, and she wouldn't even be considering not having the extension.

You crack on Love - have the home you want!

They don't have a right to a view of your garden, but they do have a right to light to their kitchen window.

The trees won't be helping either then.

I had a row of tall lelandii down the bottom of my garden, a good 20 metres away from the back of the house when I moved in. I got fed up with them and chopped them all back to stumps - my neighbour and I met out the front about 5 minutes after the tree surgeons had finished, to exclaim in wonder about how much brighter our kitchens were - the difference was amazing.

Trees cause darkness too (even from 20 metres away!)

Just but the plans into the council then they can decide!! I have a lovely open plan kitchen dinning family room at the back of my house and I just love it. So just go for it I’m sure next door will be ok with it in the end. Also if they want to sell theirs in a few years time then they can show people your extension it will make there house easier to sell as I expect everyone buyer there house will want to do the same as you.

Always makes me laugh when I hear people talking that they've found their dream house. Then they build extensions because the dream house hasn't got a utility room, or they'd rather have a family room instead of a kitchen diner.

The dream house would obviously have those already.

This happened to us when we moved in and now we have to look at a brick wall to be fair th view before was their garden and beyond so it’s lore private. The compromise they
Made was to have it clad in matching Sandrine rather than white render. I still don’t like it but have got used to it so press on if that’s what you want to build. The architect annoyed me by telling me they would pay to fix our wall to which I said what you mean the shared equally party wall that if you don’t fix will fall on to your new extension. Upshot is we didn’t fall out although would have happily smacked architect lol

OP, some people will never be happy - if it will make a big difference to you, crack on and have the home you want. Don't be dictated to by your neighbours. What you want to do is not unreasonable, it's hardly like you are building a two storey extension taking up most of the garden with a massive basement!

Sandrine = sandstone