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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To object to a planning application from my NDN? And how do I object?

68 replies

Ninjawanabee · 05/10/2021 21:17

I got a letter from the council a couple of days ago, I now have 48 hours left to object to my NDN's planning application.

We live in detached houses next to each other. There is very little space between our houses - a narrow path down the side of my house is the only gap between my external wall and theirs.

My main objection is that their proposed roof extension to add a dormer in the side which faces me will give a direct line of sight through from their new loft bedroom into my skylight, into a bedroom (currently 7yr old DD's).

Their house is a bit taller than mine and so from their loft you would be able look down into my house. You can't now as the roof is solid! They may not even know I have a skylight (if that is the term?) in the sloping bit of my roof which lets sunlight into my upstairs. The house is relatively long and thin, and without this skylight the upper floor would be dark in the midsection.

As well as the loss of privacy, adding a dormer would cut the amount of light which gets in through the skylight.

I have no idea how to object, whether I need to add diagrams, write my complaint 'as a letter' or just write some text in Word and upload it.

DH is going to go round tomorrow morning to verbally let them know we're objecting - I like the neighbours and don't want any hard feelings, but we can't not object can we?!

OP posts:
LIZS · 05/10/2021 21:23

A window directly overlooking into a habitable room would need opaque glass. Was the velux there when you moved in or have you converted the attic space? If the latter did they object?

Original poster
Ninjawanabee · 05/10/2021 21:29

Thanks for replying.

We haven't done any work, the house is exactly as it was built 20 years ago.

The slightly odd thing is my house is a modern addition to an area with much older housing, including next door. It was a vacant plot from the original area planning which got snapped up and built 70 years after the rest of the area. I have no idea if next door objected to the house being built, though I assume they might not have been living there then.

I'm not sure how to describe it but my skylight is in my main house, into the upstairs hall area. It isn't in the loft. Will try and add a pic

OP posts:
Original poster
Ninjawanabee · 05/10/2021 21:31

Hope this loads. I'm standing in the doorway to DD's room, that dark shape is the skylight.

To object to a planning application from my NDN? And how do I object?
OP posts:
parietal · 05/10/2021 21:35

look on the council website for the reasons why you are allowed to object. make sure your letter relates to those reasons if you want to have a strong case.

LittleOwl153 · 05/10/2021 21:35

Ring the planning office detailed on the application. They will tell you the process and the administrative ways in which you can object (they cannot advise on the content if your objection) but it will need to meet one of the valid reasons for objecting.

LIZS · 05/10/2021 21:39

So the proposed window overlooks your upper hallway not into a bedroom? I suspect whatever grounds you cite may not be enough.

621CustardCream438 · 05/10/2021 21:40

In this area anyway you have to upload comments to a website. No opportunity for diagrams (though you could send photo/diagram separately by post I guess) and definitely no need to set out as a formal letter. Key is to object on grounds the planners consider valid - in your case probably loss of light, loss of privacy/overlooking, if it’s out of character for the area etc. And make sure you meet the deadline.

Original poster
Ninjawanabee · 05/10/2021 21:43

LIZS the proposed dormer would have a direct line of sight into the bedroom. Standing inside the bedroom that is clear, not so clear in a nighttime pic I'm afraid

Others - thanks, I'll look at the grounds for complaint.

Possibly outing but we're in a conservation area too so I'm hoping dormers on each side of the house will be rejected outright, but as the house most affected I feel we really need to add our voice

OP posts:
LIZS · 05/10/2021 21:44

But presumably there is a door on the bedroom?

FrownedUpon · 05/10/2021 21:46

Just be aware it will probably destroy any relationship you have with your neighbours. They won’t like it.

PatsyJStone · 05/10/2021 21:47

Is the skylight window in the bedroom?

smallybells · 05/10/2021 21:47

I think the points you should emphasise are;

•	Overlooking/loss of privacy
•	Loss of light or overshadowing
•	Effect on a conservation area

If you go to speak to the neighbours, and if you are on good terms, could you perhaps offer to show them from the inside of your home your concern? They may have no idea you have that skylight there!

Original poster
Ninjawanabee · 05/10/2021 21:50

True LIZS, I guess as she's young and it's often open with her / us walking around near nude it feels more private. I think direct sight into the upstairs middle area of a house feels too much. For the council to decide I guess.

And Frowned, yeah, I had considered that. But they didn't consult us when they were drawing up such a huge extension plan even though our houses are really close. And the loss of light will really affect the feeling of the upper part of the house, potentially impacting on the value quite a bit. So I'm having to think of myself here.

I normally err on the side of people pleasing, but on this I'm pushing myself to put us first.

OP posts:
Hercisback · 05/10/2021 21:50

So they'd see through the window, to the doorway to the room?

To be honest I don't think you have much grounds for appeal. You could shut the door if you were really bothered.

They may not be aware the skylight is there so a friendly chat may mean they move their window slightly to avoid a direct sight line.

PatsyJStone · 05/10/2021 21:51

Sorry just re read. I don’t think that you will have much chance objecting and being successful on the skylight as a reason, as it isn’t the bedroom window.

SinoohXaenaHide · 05/10/2021 21:55

When you say "line of sight into" I think you mean that the skylight is in the hallway but opposite where the bedroom doorway is? It might be a bit tenuous to convince the planning authorities thar this would be a significant reduction in privacy, I suspect that all that would be visible would be a couple of square feet of carpet. If it's genuinely a big deal they will order that window of the neighbour's extension to be obscured glass, but reduction in the light that falls onto your property is not usually thought significant enough to stop a project.

Original poster
Ninjawanabee · 05/10/2021 21:56

OK, interesting you don't think the loss of privacy is enough. It would certainly feel very invasive

Fingers crossed the loss of light and conservation area are strong enough reasons

OP posts:
TopCatsTopHat · 05/10/2021 22:01

Privacy is grounds for objection. Definitely gather your arguments and submit them. Make sure you do it by the deadline though. It might be they are twitted to use opaque glass. So long as you limit the impact of this on you it's worth doing.
I'm not sure I'd go round to let them know though. They didn't extend that courtesy to you when they were planning the idea. You might just give them chance to bribe the planning officer think of a block to your objection.
The planning permission criteria of the LA is key here.

AnnaSW1 · 05/10/2021 22:03

That will not be considered loss of privacy as it is a hall and not a room. The fact the window looks onto the doorway of a bedroom is irrelevant.

NiceTwin · 05/10/2021 22:03

Is the house historically 'interesting'?

An old weavers cottage round here has just been denied a dormer extension because it is historically valuable in it's original form, there aren't many if them left in the town.

Wilkolampshade · 05/10/2021 22:09

Personally? I don't think your grounds re' privacy are anywhere near strong enough. They wouldn't be here (zone 2/3 London Borough) As you note, it's into a hall, not a room, the line of sight argument is just nonsense (sorry). As others have said, you have internal doors.
The council may at most ask for obscure glass in their window.
Get a really really good idea of where the land lies re' your chances before you say anything as frankly, you will almost certainly wreck your relationship with them.

doublemonkey · 05/10/2021 22:10

@AnnaSW1

That will not be considered loss of privacy as it is a hall and not a room. The fact the window looks onto the doorway of a bedroom is irrelevant.
Are you sure about this?? Anywhere inside your home is private surely and any view into any part would be a loss I'd have thought?
GingerAndTheBiscuits · 05/10/2021 22:11

www.planningportal.co.uk/faqs/faq/4/what_are_material_considerations

Those are the things you need to consider. Property value won’t be taken into account.

Original poster
Ninjawanabee · 05/10/2021 22:12

I'm off to bed now so thanks for all answers and places to look etc

Finally Twin the house itself isn't any more or less interesting than the others in the conservation area - they're relatively homogenous, though none have this sort of dormer extension in the roof and the residents association have already complained about the element from a street aesthetic POV. As the owner of a house not really part of the same aesthetic myself I don't feel I need to object on those grounds, but I do worry what it will do to the nice light airy feel in the top half of my house. Frosted window or not, the extension from a pitched roof to a dormer right where my skylight is will block a lot of light coming in.

OP posts:
Jaxhog · 05/10/2021 22:13

I would mention the privacy issue, as it will carry some weight. Not so much that it's your daughter's bedroom, but that it's a bedroom at all.

You might also want to enlist the support of your local councilor too. They can often advocate on your behalf.