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

[mentalhealth323]

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.

I know exactly where you're coming from, the same thing is happening to family members and even though pretty much everyone locally has complained about the development they're going ahead with it. I'd be gutted too!

Plant leylandii. They grow quickly and will give you a high hedge. Only issue they might block your light!

As neighbours are unlikely to be gawping out their back windows looking into your garden 24/7, just get on with your normal life.

@BattenbergdowntheHatches

8 flats going up next to ours - in a rural lane full of detached houses. There were hundreds of objections locally and one local councillor who was heavily involved in opposing - it made no difference. The opwners just got all their mates from all over the UK to post in support. They still only had a quarter of the number of supporters vs. objectors but the council didn't give a toss and approved it.

Over Winter, the owners knocked down every single tree that didn't have a TPO (as they are entitled to do). Over the 2 subsequent storms, every single TPO tree "tragically" fell down - probably because it has lost the natural protection of other trees. One had a huge bat roost, all had nesting birds in the warmer weather.

It is absolutely awful OP and I feel for you.

That is terrible

I do sympathise with you. In my limited experience planning objections rarely succeed. To be overlooked after years of privacy must really cut to the quick.
I’ve had a (very attractive) large house built directly opposite me. The only saving grace is that the land slopes away a bit, so it doesn’t block my view of trees completely, but the view certainly looked better before it was built.

I really feel for you, we didn't object to our new neighbour's kitchen extension plans as they didn't seem too bad but it did reduce our light and they built in the cheapest possible ugly red brick. It was supposed to be painted white to reflect light but this never happened. When they next wanted to extend it was a huge red brick lump in the garden. We were told that we were unlikely to stop them as we'd not objected the first time. Fortunately others also objected and it was turned down, much to her fury. She never forgave us.
I'd suggest you whack in some nice big birch trees as quickly as possible.

I know how you feel, lived here 10 years now there are 4 monster houses being built dead opposite, no more going out there in bra and knickers! It just annoys me that they ride roughshod over all the other residents

Multi stemmed birches as another poster suggested growth will be thicker and they won't get so tall and gangly. You can also plant them in special large planting bags to restrict their roots and stop them heading for the skies.

Yanbu, I totally sympathise. Similar thing happened to us, only 6 months after we moved in.
We overlooked a field, and 3 bloody great big houses were built there. To add insult to injury, it started just before the first lockdown and so we got no peace from the building site noise, and the build took forever as they kept having to stop due to lockdown rules.

I feel boxed in now and, as much as I love the house inside, I feel very overlooked in the garden and will be looking to move in a few years. Next house will be the forever home and I’ll be buying one with a ton of land to make sure we’re not in this situation again.

There are ways of adding privacy by planting fanned trees at the bottom of the garden , then adding taller shrubs down the garden so the complete view is blocked

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.

I agree - the same thing is happening in my area, but, no thought being given to the provision of healthcare facilities - hospitals/GPs/dentists. Waiting lists are shocking anyway. It’s just going to get worse.

I really feel for you. We had a totally private garden until our neighbour at the back cut down 7 beautiful fruit trees. Suddenly, because we were lower than the houses behind us we were overlooked by 5 houses. We moved asap.

When we bought this house we had a nice enclosed garden with mature planting all over the fences and just sky above that. Over time the fence got blown down etc, pulled all the lovely climbing plants with them and now we have lots of empty bare fencing. On top of that our neighbour behind us built a massive bloody garage with a room above which is about a foot from our back fence, almost overshadows the garden and can be seen from every room. Where there use to be blue sky is now bright red tiled roof. Absolutely bloody hideous. We still have privacy but it just looks so awful now.

Slightly different here but I'm gutted about a new arena which will be the largest in Europe apparently being built near me and right facing our beautiful grade 2 listed local park.The Arena is only about a quarter way constructed at the moment but can already see how it is going to loom over our beautiful park and spoil the skyline forever, Not to mention all the litter and antisocial behaviour it will bring into our park and area, Also traffic congestion and restrictions for residents it's going to be a nightmare for us local residents. Everyone in the neighbourhood opposed this arena being built but they went ahead with it anyway. I wouldn't mind but there is already a large Arena 5 minutes away in the city centre why does one city need 2 arenas 5 minutes apart??

Can you build a summerhouse type thing or a gazebo with a foot at the end of your garden?

It won't since all of your problems but it will give you a space that is private?

I do sympathise, but I don't understand why you didn't make representations when you were invited to do so by the council? I presume you received a notice from the council that an application had been submitted. You had every opportunity to make an objection when planning permission was sought. Losing privacy is a very valid reason for an objection to a proposed development. It would not have necessarily stopped the new build from going ahead, but it would have gone some way towards making the planning department place conditions on the permission (such as obscured glass in any windows that overlook your garden).
I just don't understand why you didn't object?

I live in a 3 storey new build overlooking some smaller 2 story new builds and 1 neighbour has built a summer house / outbuilding thing across the bottom of her garden and now I can't see anything (not that I want to obvs!) of her garden as the angle and building stops it all.

I’d be upset to but you can make some improvements on your garden to increase the privacy, new trees, awnings, gazebos and privacy screens

Ah so rubbish. It’ll knock a load of value off your house too

@Piper22

Ah so rubbish. It’ll knock a load of value off your house too

No it won’t unless she paid a premium because of the view in the first place. Whilst the houses are pending it could stop people wanting to buy it as they are buying a house with a view that will be built on and that always causes uncertainty, but once they are built the house value and saleability will be the same as properties of a similar type, a majority of houses have houses behind them anyway it’s nothing unusual, if prospective purchasers never knew the house to have a view in the first place it will be no issue when it comes to resale.

@AmberLynn1536 you’re wrong. Almost every house with a lovely view has a premium attached to it

As I said in my post only if they have paid a premium for the view in the first place. Panoramic views over swathes of glorious countryside, harbour or sea views and suddenly a block of flats is built and your view is gone, yes lots knocked of value, but it doesn’t sound as if the OP has this, it sounds like a normal house which has a private garden, if this is the case once the house is built I don’t believe it will knock thousands off the value of her house especially if they put in the measures suggested here.

In your position I would have maybe raised a concern at it being 3 stories and said you don’t object to there being a regular sized 2 storey house but 3 storeys is going to have a full view of everything, block a lot of light and view etc. they may have ignored you and done it anyway but my friend did this as did her neighbours and the planning was granted for 2 storey only.

However too late now. Realistically it is a privilege to have a garden with privacy as you’ve said a first world problem. My neighbours can see the entire of my garden so you aren’t alone.

You have my sympathies. Same thing has happened behind my back garden. The houses being built have practically no back garden so are very close to my fence. I'm gutted because I used to be able to watch the sunrise and the moon climb. Now the houses are nearly finished and they completely block any decent view. Really hoping I get decent neighbours so I can still enjoy working in the veg patch I have down that end.

You didn’t want to be a NIMBY but you should have at least looked at the plans and raised some objections. Developers don’t care about you, you don’t owe them anything and we shouldn’t submit to shit planning decisions. The way people are scared of being labelled a NIMBY to object is a PR masterstroke.