CF Neighbours plans

[Arewe29]

I need to rant!

Got a letter from the council to say that my neighbours are building an extension, went around to ask for a full copy of the plans, as where we live (hill) will cause issues to our house. They said that they did not have any and that they did not know planning was even sought, bullshit!

I went online and yep there plans show that they are trying to build on our bloody land. Fuck me they must think I am stupid.

Are you in a conservation area? If so,the trees cannot be pruned,worked on or taken down without planning permission.
You can normally check this online,we did when a rubbish planning officer tried to put us off building by stating in a report, incorrectly,that we were in the conservation area. Sadly for him,it stopped at our gate.
I also spotted in a neighbour's planning application,that it would likely be refused as there wasn't a turning area big enough for emergency vehicles,the cheeky buggers stated that they could use MY drive to turn in,meaning that I could have been in a position where I wasn't able to park on my own drive,that I hadn't even built yet, because of someone else's planning requirements. I sent them a stiff letter stating that at no time would I ever give permission for my land to be used for any purpose. They amended their plans accordingly. I suggest that you write a similar letter,copying it to CFN ,their planning consultant and the planning officer at the council dealing with it.
Good luck and keep us updated

Please order a row of peeing cherub statues instead, and plumb them in pointing towards your neighbours. Google Manneken Pis for inspiration 😁

I wonder how far the stream of piss can travel about 6 foot in the air would be great their terrace will be a bloody no go zone.

I am seriously going to look into this, especially when they have their cheap inflatable hot tub on.

They also need a scaffolding agreement which you don’t have to say yes to.

When my neighbour had her house extended, we came home from work one day to find the scaffolders had put diagonal bracing right across our drive. The drive runs up the side of our house, and we couldn't get to the back door or to the garage.

The builder was lovely, sacked them off, got another firm in to do it properly, and gave us £100 in cash for the inconvenience. They'd also dropped something and made a hole in the garage roof, and her builder re-roofed the whole front half of the garage.

Scaffolders are bastards imo.

I would be looking to have a face to face meeting with the planning department, write everything down/your timelines etc so they have to actually acknowledge and look into what has gone wrong. If you have it all dated so it’s completely clear to yourself, they can’t then try to bamboozle you and worm their way out of anything. I would also report any harassment/shouting/behaviour to the council and police. An official diary/log of everything is absolutely vital here.

My neighbours have reported them to the police, I will get a chance to look at the plans again, when I get home. Let’s hope the CCFC will not get planning.

I really hope they don’t get planning, I can’t see how they can really! But I would definitely log any nasty behaviour to both authorities in the meantime. You need as much ammunition as you can get.

Planning applications have to include a Block Plan which shows where the property boundaries are, so it will be clear that the plans encroach on another property. If the plans are approved in spite of your objections (unlikely I would think) or they start building anyway, you should be able to get an injunction to stop the works.

I'm sorry you're going through this - your neighbours sound like arses.

Technically the block plan shows the boundaries of the application site - not ownership boundaries.

Please don't say scaffolders are bastards - my next door neighbours housing association want to put scaffolding in my garden - I've said I'm not happy considering they built the house without needing to

Sounds like a nightmare!

What an unnecessary load of stress, really hope planning department see cf’s for what they are and stamp a big red reject on their blueprints

I think you said you’ve already got CCTV, but just in case it’s not trained on the trees, I would be tempted to make sure it is, just in case they attempt to poison them. Not as uncommon as it sounds.

Extra CCTV cameras have been installed.

I have looked at the “new plans” the plans now show all trees, they have moved the wall to their side of the boundary!

They still want to increase the height of their terrace by 3 foot, so another objection will be submitted.

You're going to need bigger statues.

@Arewe29 So glad they've amended their plans! Hurrah! Finally 🥳

My parents had the issue with a neighbour raising their terrace and despite the fact that this meant that even though when they stood upright they could see over the fence and into my parent's bungalow, the council said there was nothing they could do! Despite the fact that they were on a hill and they were above my parent's bungalow! Apparently that's how it is now.. Hopefully your area is different

Bigger statues being sourced at the moment I may add some fish that have water coming out of their mouth.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Most scaffolding companies do not have adequate storage and use their customers as storage depots. They end up leaving the scaffolding in situ until they need it on another job.

I have put another objection into the council, they must be bored of me now! I am bored of having to put in another objection.

This time I have not objected to the fact that they are trying to build in my garden, but the fact that they will over look my property and garden.

I will see what neighbours call me this time.

I know scaffolders and any good company wants their poles and boards back asap so they can go onto the next protect. Lots of people are left with scaffolding around their houses as they refused to pay the additional hire costs if their project runs over.

There are bad companies out there but the decent ones will remove AsAP

Have to say, having had several jobs done on my house in the last few years, this has been my experience too.

@VexedofVirginiaWater that's another of my worries - they won't even be my contractors so I won't have any say or clout when or if it becomes an issue

Agree scaffolders are shit. Ds works for a bespoke extension company and he says all scaffolders he’s come across are shit. They are a law unto themselves, they literally don’t give a fuck about others, they just put scaffold on neighbouring property without asking, just saying ‘we need to’. 😡

You could make this up…….

I have been through all the plans including the new plans that have been submitted, and the plans for the ground floor have been changed and are not building in my garden but the plans for the lower ground floor still show that they are going to build in my garden, honestly what is their architect playing at they can’t even get their drawings right.

😱

Couldn't make it up.