Neighbouring treehouse

[Spooked7]

I will append a diagram if it helps, but AIBU to ask neighbouring family to take down large wooden treehouse that sits above the level of our fence and dominates the view?
I don’t know the neighbours and don’t want to start a dispute with them, especially as we only recently moved in. However, we had no idea there was a treehouse overlooking our garden. It was disguised by overgrowing trees as the previous owner of our house had passed away over a year before we viewed the house...and the trees hadn’t been cut back for a while. After a few days living here we started to see heads of small boys popping through the trees about 4 feet above our fence. I still didn’t realise it was a treehouse. Then a month later they employed a tree surgeon to cut back the trees as they were overhanging our (small) garden and blocking light from getting in. This exposed the entire, very large, wooden treehouse. It is a platform about 5.5ft off the ground, with a see-through fence panel about another 3 ft in height around its edge. The whole structure sits above the level of our fence. It has some bits of camouflage netting and a sheet of canvas loosely attached, that flap and wave in the wind. It is both intrusive and unsightly and I have no idea what to do about it without angering the neighbours. I have had advice from the council who said they will happily go round and investigate anonymously whether they should have sought planning permission for it, but it would be completely obvious that we instigated it, as it doesn’t really affect anyone else. I know that if/when we decide to sell our house this treehouse will put a lot of people off. It dominates our very small garden.

Has anyone managed to resolve a similar issue without it leading to a dispute?

Pleached trees are the answer (Google them) Narrow, tall trees with a thin trunk then the branches are trained flat against a frame. Don't take up any space on your side and grow tall. You get evergreen ones like photinia Red Robin so it's all year cover. Expensive but perfect screening in small gardens

Could you knock on the neighbour's door? You explain that it's a bit obtrusive now that the trees have gone, and suggest that they might put up screening so you're not so overlooked. I don't think that's unreasonable at all, I reckon they've just not considered it. They could use bamboo screening or similar.

It definitely needs planning permission and i wouldn't approve that (im a planning officer).
What were they thinking when they built it?
Little kids directly overlooking your garden is a pain, but little kids become larger children, teenagers that could gather on that platform and be intimidating to the OP. When i was 16 i would have been drinking and smoking with my friends on that thing if my parents had erected one in our garden. OP i would lodge a complaint with planning, it will be treated confidentially but they may know it was you. But they are to the rear, like other posters have said, you will barely ever see them. But if they are asked to submit a planning application and you object that will be made public (still do it!). I don't think there's any way of resolving the impacts, they'll have to move it or take it down! Unless they can prove it has been there over 4 years... Is it on Google maps? If not screenshot the maps with date the photo was taken.

When i was 16 i would have been drinking and smoking with my friends on that thing if my parents had erected one in our garden.

thinkful Any parent whose teenager would do that has drastically failed in their role to bring up responsible, sensible, civilised children.

@Notemyname

Pleached trees are the answer (Google them) Narrow, tall trees with a thin trunk then the branches are trained flat against a frame. Don't take up any space on your side and grow tall. You get evergreen ones like photinia Red Robin so it's all year cover. Expensive but perfect screening in small gardens

This is what I was calling lime trees!

They are fantastic.
A good solution for the neighbour at THEIR cost.

But you didn't investigate enough before you bought the place, I think its unreasonable to ask them to remove it.

We've got those pleached trees in out driveway (flats) been there for a whole now and really not that great imo.

Interested to see how this pans out.

Be careful with the screening. You can be made to take a hedge or screening down if it contains 2 or more evergreen or semi evergreen trees/plants over two metres tall, which is, of course, the sort of screen you want.

It seems to me that the biggest issue for you is the ultimate sale of your house. There is no doubt that the tree house will affect the sale and the sale price if you manage to sell.

Your current house is temporary. You will move to a better one, but ONLY if you can sell it at a reasonable price.

If you sell in two or three years I doubt the existing vegetation will grow back thickly enough to hide it in time as thick branches will need to develop. Screening put up by you will make it obvious there is something to screen, apart from the issue mentioned above.

IMO you need to get the tree house taken down. Do it through the Council planning dept. It contravenes planning regs. It may cause bad blood, and it is your choice whether you speak to the neighbours first, but I don't think you have a realistic choice.

Surely if you report it to the council as a structure without planning permission then any wouldn’t need to be declared when you sell as any dispute your neighbors had would be with the council and not you.

Yes your neighbors would know it was you who reported but as they are behind you and not next door they won’t be able to glare daggers at you every time you leave your front door and any interaction between you would be limited.
I would give them the chance to remove it or move it away from you first but if they did nothing then I would report and let the council deal with it.

Everyone saying grow trees up screening at the neighbours expense (bearing in mind op has already asked them to cut trees as it made their garden dark which the neighbour paid for, wants to consider that the tree of choice might be conifer which would totally block OP view and the sunlight. Op could cut overhanging branches at own expense, but the height would be up to the neighbour.

I don’t see how you can approach the neighbour, however nicely and say you know you cut down those trees I didn’t like? well I now don’t like that tree house. Can you buy this specific type of tree and grow that instead please and put up a screen too? Also not let them get too high as I want a view and I don’t want it blocking light. Thanks!
Flipping eck anything else?!
I can’t wait to know the outcome though if OP comes back!
@thinkful I thought a structure had to be permanent to get pp.... so a trampoline would be ok?

op has already asked them to cut trees as it made their garden dark

No she didn't. the tree surgeon mentioned the light issue to us (as in “I’ve opened it up so you’ll get more light” but we had only told them that there was a large branch that had come down in the wind and was hanging about 5ft into our garden. They said they’d get someone to look at it. That was all.

I couldn’t live like that!

I love all the posters not reading the whole thread. Bonkers.

I can’t wait to know the outcome though if OP comes back!

She might be more inclined to come back if posters bothered to read the thread, or at least her comments, before posting unhelpful remarks.

@TrickyD ooh that’s me told!

@Suzi888

Planning permission for a treehouse? but it’s not classed as a permanent structure is it? Genuine question! As I know someone who complained about a whole set of children’s garden structures and the outcome from the council was that they can stay. OP just one word of warning, obviously do whatever you want. But how would you feel if your neighbours remove the tree house and decide to grow conifers/similar type of tree. How old are these children? Are they likely to use the treehouse forever?

yes you do need it, if it is above a certain height and overlooks a neighbours garden.

We have a fab tree with a ladder up to it, and when the kids were younger we really really wanted to build a treehouse, but it would have overlooked and therefore needed planning.

OP, I think the simplest and least aggravating solution to all concerned is that they make the back wall of the treehouse solid, or at least not seethrough. You can get slatted fence panels which allow the wind through but you can't see through. One of those would be enough. Then everyone is happy.

[quote Suzi888]@TrickyD ooh that’s me told! [/quote]
@Suzi888 chop it down at night

@emilyfrost

When i was 16 i would have been drinking and smoking with my friends on that thing if my parents had erected one in our garden.

thinkful Any parent whose teenager would do that has drastically failed in their role to bring up responsible, sensible, civilised children.

Don't be ridiculous @emilyfrost. What planet are you on?

@emilyfrost

When i was 16 i would have been drinking and smoking with my friends on that thing if my parents had erected one in our garden.

thinkful Any parent whose teenager would do that has drastically failed in their role to bring up responsible, sensible, civilised children.

@emilyfrost hehe id of joined you up there Emily

@steppemum good to know, thanks. We don’t have neighbours at the bottom of our garden or to the one side but we were thinking of a treehouse or maybe less offensive trampoline. Thing is even if we had planning permission, if a neighbour mentioned it we would feel obligated to remove it any way. We already had an officer out for decking which on the face of it seemed ok and in keeping with the area etc but our neighbour overheard the conversation and interrupted to say he would object. Just not worth the row.
@Bigjohn0

@Bigjohn0

Emily actually said: "Any parent whose teenager would do that has drastically failed in their role to bring up responsible, sensible, civilised children." so I don't reckon you'd have much of a laugh!

@Suzi888

Everyone saying grow trees up screening at the neighbours expense (bearing in mind op has already asked them to cut trees as it made their garden dark which the neighbour paid for, wants to consider that the tree of choice might be conifer which would totally block OP view and the sunlight. Op could cut overhanging branches at own expense, but the height would be up to the neighbour.

I don’t see how you can approach the neighbour, however nicely and say you know you cut down those trees I didn’t like? well I now don’t like that tree house. Can you buy this specific type of tree and grow that instead please and put up a screen too? Also not let them get too high as I want a view and I don’t want it blocking light. Thanks!
Flipping eck anything else?!
I can’t wait to know the outcome though if OP comes back!
@thinkful I thought a structure had to be permanent to get pp.... so a trampoline would be ok?

Hi Suzi. Well it doesn't look temporary to me, it's not like you can just pick it up and reposition elsewhere easily and continually. I think it wouldn't be considered temporary.

The legislation is clear that any platform over 30cm needs planning permission. This is to prevent unacceptable overlooking.

I suppose they could put up an obscurely glazed screen which would block views and still allow light to OP's garden.

It's a difficult one, and I understand your feelings about it.

I'd speak to the neighbors if possible. I'd be more pissed off if the council just turned up saying the tree house had to come down without anyone bringing it to my attention first. You have to consider the kids that play in it are going to disappointed, and it's the parents that will have to deal with it. Give them the opportunity to conceal it, or adjust/move it.

Alternatively could you attach something to your fence to conceal it on your side? A trellis with fake plants or similar? Some solar lights on it to pretty it up? That way you're not blocking all the light but the kids heads won't be poling into your garden nor will you have a unsightly view.

OP I agree with you, it's really intrusive and honestly who would want that looking over their garden

I think talking to them is your best option, perhaps offer a few solutions such as moving it, putting up something to camouflage or bamboo etc

Personally I'd put up a sail as another poster has said but realise it's costly.

Good luck I hope you get it resolved somehow

I don’t see how you can approach the neighbour, however nicely and say you know you cut down those trees I didn’t like? well I now don’t like that tree house. Can you buy this specific type of tree and grow that instead please and put up a screen too? Also not let them get too high as I want a view and I don’t want it blocking light. Thanks! smile
Flipping eck anything else?!
I can’t wait to know the outcome though if OP comes back!

Quite.