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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Gutted a new house is being built directly facing my back garden?

201 replies

mentalhealth323 · 29/03/2022 11:39

I know this is a first world problem and the whole process I’ve deliberately not been a biased nimby.

Progress must happen, people need houses and don’t ever buy a house for the view (if you don’t own it).

I bloody well love my house, it’s nothing fancy, I’m not the greatest area but the back garden is long and very private. The USP for the house was the garden (ex council post war house) and the element of privacy.

Being able to go into the garden in a towel to grab clean washing, gardening in a bikini, work out without having to worry that I can only manage one push up…. Drink wine for five nights straight listening to my guilty playlist.

It looks like it’s going to be finalised (there’s already construction workers placing flags outside) and there’s going to be a huge three storey house built 10ms away from my garden fence directly opposite my house. Their fence will be on my boundary. There’s no way of blocking them from having the perfect view of 100% of my garden.

I didn’t contest the planning permission as they’re building facilities/didn’t want to be a nimby - it’s also a nationwide new build company and the council was very much on board… didn’t think we’d have a leg to stand on. I’ve known for the plans for a couple of weeks and I’m absolutely gutted/can’t shake it off.

OP posts:
GodspeedJune · 29/03/2022 11:42

Yanbu to be sad. I’d be too. Can you plant some screening trees now so they have time to bed in before the project is complete?

SirChenjins · 29/03/2022 11:49

YANBU to be upset, you have my sympathies. A small development is going up at the end of our street - to build it the developers are going to remove ancient woodland (thanks, Scottish Govt Reporter for overturning two previous Reporters and interpreting the legislation in the bizarrest of ways…) which will change the way our tiny street looks forever. There’s nothing we can do, I know that, but like you it makes me really sad, esp as there are more than sufficient houses being built across the region over the next few years so absolutely no need for these 10.

SirChenjins · 29/03/2022 11:50

And YY to planting trees to screen the worst of it

Chamomileteaplease · 29/03/2022 11:54

I am in the same boat. Awful isn't it? The pleasure you can get from your view or garden is priceless.

Sadly it helps to know that others are suffering too. I can't decide whether to move or not because I love everything else about this house.

DenverDoer · 29/03/2022 11:57

I really feel for you. Trying to house hunt now for a house with privacy, but every facing field I think 'but what if they build there!'

SpiderinaWingMirror · 29/03/2022 11:58

I know how you feel. We have 209 houses going up behind us.
Nothing to be done about. I can't object, they are mainly flats/2 and 3 bed houses which are sorely needed in our little town. Lots of them will be affordable.
We have to stay really until dd finishes at least gcses (3 years) and possibly A levels. So we have just decided to put a happy face on it. And have got planting

romany4 · 29/03/2022 12:02

Plant trees asap.
Different scenario but I had a lovely private back garden until neighbours on both sides chopped their trees down and I felt like I was sitting in a goldfish bowl as I was so overlooked.
DH and I planted several trees and now slowly, my privacy is returning

Curiosity101 · 29/03/2022 12:05

I feel for you and definitely agree with the trees idea.

Can you also maybe invest in a garden building of some kind. Not the same but a summer house or something backing onto your fence but facing up your garden towards the house would give you somewhere outside but still private.

Or if not a permanent building, look into Gazebos as an option for the nicer weather.

Having said that you can always still do all the things you described... You just might be seen occasionally.

MrsBertBibby · 29/03/2022 12:07

I'm sorry OP. My Dad has similar, the council have approved the family house next door to be demolished, and a huge block of flats put up, protruding way past the existing footprint, so it will loom over his beautiful garden. There's fuck all parking so he'll have cars everywhere, and the block won't be remotely in keeping with the road (between war leafy). Can't imagine they will sell well either, it's the wrong area for flats, not anywhere near the trains.

Maddeningly, the owners son doesn't want to have to sell to the developer, but the Court of Protection insist they get the best price.

Poor dad, the garden is the most beautiful work of art, and he's facing all this disruption and destruction. It makes me so cross.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 29/03/2022 12:07

YANBU OP.
We've recently had half a dozen houses go up behind ours, back to back. We're very urban, and the land was previously waste ground, so I think many people would see this as an improvement, but where I type from my dining room I am quite certain that the neighbours can look in from their bedrooms. Plus a few neighbouring kids would go out for a kickabout on the waste ground, and we'd sometimes gather as neighbours. for a barbecue or fireworks. The new neighbours are lovely and not at all intrusive but it's not the same.

WildFlowerBees · 29/03/2022 12:12

You don't want to plant anything at the very end of your garden it won't stop your new neighbours seeing in, you should plant in the eye line so put up a pergola closer to the house or trees so when you are standing in your back garden you can't see them and they can't see you.

Mintlegs · 29/03/2022 12:13

You are not being unreasonable, we are so overpopulated.

VeryLongBeeeeep · 29/03/2022 12:13

YANBU OP. It's human nature to get used to things the way they've been for a while and when a change is going to affect the enjoyment you get from your garden, it's equally natural to feel sad about it even while you know why it's changing. You can rationally understand the need for something and feel sad emotionally about it at the same time.

gamerchick · 29/03/2022 12:15

That would be disappointing OP. Sorry man. I'd definitely look into something for privacy.

oakleaffy · 29/03/2022 12:17

I utterly sympathise.
A simply HIDEOUS block was built where I can see it from a gap in the houses opposite-
I used to see trees and a green through that gap

New houses are springing up like toadstools everywhere.
A rural dwelling friend has the horse paddock behind him potentially having a house built on it, AND the field next door.
He too is thinking of moving.
:(

LndnGrl · 29/03/2022 12:17

I didn’t contest the planning permission as they’re building facilities/didn’t want to be a nimby

You can't really complain now then. You should have contested it and got them to make the house windows face a different way.

AHungryCaterpillar · 29/03/2022 12:18

Yanbu, I have a house right behind my back garden and hate it, luckily I have a big huge tree that blocks there view but they have been trying to get it cut down 😡

AllOfUsAreDead · 29/03/2022 12:20

You should have made an objection about it. Yeah it probably wouldn't work, but least it's an attempt. It sucks though, they are just building everywhere for no reason. There's been plans for years to build over 200 houses behind my house, thankfully they keep being met with objections from us all as they have zero plans for a new school and the current one is already too small. But it's not stopping other plans, there's plans for 400 more houses further away and in the city close by. With no new schools either, just supposed to magic them into the current ones. Utter morons.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 29/03/2022 12:22

Privacy film on Windows can help a lot. (In a previous house, we had to access ours by walking a long a foot path 5metres away from the next row of houses patio doors. You don't intentionally look but you walk out of your front door directly towards them. The privacy film definitely obscured the view)

As for gardens... we have a gazebo in ours making a very private corner that can't be seen from either of the neighbours windows.

Its a shame. But on the other hand, I have a friend whose been on top of a housing list for ages as she has 4 kids in a 2 bed flat (both parents work full time by the way!). The council agree they are overcrowded but there isn't the houses available.

oakleaffy · 29/03/2022 12:23

@Mintlegs

You are not being unreasonable, we are so overpopulated.
We are a massively populated small Island. Houses are being shoehorned into every available meadow and garden. It’s a real shame. Hardly any “ Affordable “ either.
Shehasadiamondinthesky · 29/03/2022 12:24

This happened to us too, now we have a massive twostorey house, we can see into every window in their house and they can see into all of ours. We all sent loads of letters to the council asking for either a bungalow or for the house to be facing round 45 degrees - there is plenty of room.
Now there is a 9 foot wall as well.
We sent letter about that, failed then appealed and that failed, wrote to our MP who didn't even bother to reply, now I have a house I can't sell.
The new house never sold as buyers don't want to be this overlooked and is now rented cheaply so they haven't made any money on it.
i am furious.

longtompot · 29/03/2022 12:26

We have a block of flats behind us which have illegal balconies on them so our garden is overlooked (not on the planning application and weren't contested for four years so nothing we can do. Also, weren't obvious when we moved in due to the overgrown garden). I always feel I am being watched when I go out into it. We are currently planting lots of trees for privacy

oakleaffy · 29/03/2022 12:28

@AHungryCaterpillar

Yanbu, I have a house right behind my back garden and hate it, luckily I have a big huge tree that blocks there view but they have been trying to get it cut down 😡
Parents owned a beautiful cottage in s small village with lovely views out the back windows The farmer sold his barnyard and had planning for executive type homes An ancient listed barn was knocked down to make was for an access road

Parents moved solely because of this.

WomanWomenGirlsFemale · 29/03/2022 12:29

When we purchased our home 20 years ago we already knew they wanted to build 150 properties on the land( fields with woodland and loads of wildlife) behind our home, luckily our garden is huge so we didn't think it would bother us. Everybody on our street and the local area complained but were told they were going ahead with it. They certainly did go ahead but instead of 150 properties we have over 300. They are building on every green space they can get away with despite complaints.

Lacedwithgrace · 29/03/2022 12:31

YANBU, it's horrible. I agree with PP, plant some trees now to block out the worst of it. Could you put up a wooden gazebo type thing to cover some of the garden? It's not fair that you have to, but could help a little