The owner of the much larger property behind ours has applied to build a garden building 3m high and over 5 m wide against our boundary fence. We live in a small bungalow with approx 10m garden (this is already at a lower ground level than the property behind). The width of our garden is about 7.5m, so the building will run across most of the rear boundary.
0ur garden will be greatly shaded by the new building. The sky will be blocked out in most views from the rear of the bungalow (where the living accommodation is). The new garden building is to be fitted with lots of internal and external lighting and reads like it's intended to be a social space.
We can place an objection, so I rang up to talk through with the planning officer. They were very sympathetic to the situation but said they have to have a reason in planning law to turn it down and (without pre-judging the outcome), there isn't a significant one they can can see; because planning law has become so relaxed.
I get that people want more use out of their gardens these days, but this feels totally overwhelming and claustrophobic and the impact on neighbours can't be taken into account. We can't ask for height to be reduced, or have it sited further from the boundary - nothing! It's also going to put people off buying if we want to sell.
AIBU - this is fine, people should be able to build what they like, right up to their boundary and to hell with the impact on neighbours.
AINBU - things have gone too far and some more regulation/balance needs to be brought back into the system.
Suggestions from anyone who's successfully objected to anything similar would be much appreciated, thanks.