AIBU to expect neighbours to accept our approved house rebuild plans?

[WarmLimeLurker]

DH and I recently bought what we hope will be our forever home. We were only able to do so because of inheritance DH inherited from his late father, and I'd inherited from my grandfather years ago. I'd kept my inheritance invested for around 12 years, and together we were able to buy the property outright.

The house itself wasn't why we bought it. We bought it because we absolutely loved the location, knowing from day one that we'd be replacing the existing house with a home that would suit our family for the long term. We have three young children (6, 3 and 15 months), so we're still living in our London flat while the project gets underway.

We spent over a year working through the planning process. The plans were amended, neighbours had the opportunity to comment, objections were considered, and the council ultimately granted planning permission.
Now we're preparing to start, a handful of neighbours have become quite vocal. We've been told we're ruining the street, that the house is too large, and that we should rethink the project altogether.

I completely appreciate that living next to a building site isn't ideal, and we'll do everything we reasonably can to minimise disruption. What I'm struggling with is the feeling that, even though we've followed every rule and obtained permission, some people seem to think we shouldn't build at all.
Part of me also wonders whether some of the resentment is because we're currently based in London. There have been a few comments along the lines of "London people coming here and changing everything."

The irony is that this area is home for me. I grew up here, went to school here, my parents still live here, my grandparents are here, and this is exactly where I always hoped we'd eventually settle to raise our own children. We're not buying it as an investment or a developer's project we genuinely intend to live there for many years.

DH says we should stop worrying about what people think and just focus on our family. I can't help feeling uneasy that we're starting off on the wrong foot with the neighbours, but equally I don't think we should feel guilty for building a home that's been properly approved.

AIBU to think that once planning permission has been been granted, people should accept the decision and let us get on with building our forever home?

Next door did this, bought the house, knocked I down and are now, very noisily building something massive. I'm trying not to hate them but they have builders here 7 days a week, even bank holidays and they start at 8am. They park their vans right up to my drop curb either side so I can't see to get out of my drive from 8 to half 5. Every day. We are a really close knit road and the WhatsApp group is regularly all about the loud disruption caused by this household. But of course they aren't living through it. By the time they move in there will be no good will left for them. I can see why they've done it but they and their builders are such pricks I won't be watering their garden when they go on holiday, I can't imagine anyone else on our road will give them the time of day.

Obviously you have followed due process rtc- but you are still being unreasonable to expect all the neighbours to just accept it. Some of them probably objected to the application so are not going to have changed their view.
As many others have said, it would be wise to minimise the disruption to neighbours and have considerate working times and ensure things run to schedule.
They may come round to the idea eventually- but as you yourselves are not living through the inconvenience of the building work, this will take much longer and you have to accept that - and not expect to be welcomed to the street to do anything you wish because of your history……..

Isn’t building work on Sundays and BHs forbidden?

You are entitled to develop a property as you choose, within the confines of the law. Your neighbours are entitled to be unhappy and sceptical about your plans, particularly as the noise and disruption will have a major impact on them and not on you.

If you’re demolishing the house and rebuilding, of course they’re going to be concerned about the style and size of the property you’re building.

You appear surprised that your plans have not met with universal approval. I think few people would be happy about a sustained period of noise and disruption. Your professions are irrelevant and don’t mean that you are necessarily arbiters of good taste.

I hope you will be as considerate as you can be and ensure that your builders are too.

Some really are such eysores: there's a lovely road of two-story period properties near me where someone demolished a relatively small detached house and built a three-story one that covers the entire plot. I know that every single resident in the street of over 30 houses complained but it still got planning. It's actually a monstrosity and because it is so out of keeping with the rest of the street, it stands out for all the wrong reasons.

It hasn't devalued the street but it has definitely made it look less coherent and pretty, especially as all existing planting was dug up and replaced by a huge driveway and crappy chain link fence.

Building permissions may well have been approved, it doesn’t follow that everyone around you will be happy.
You purchased a plot of land. Everyone else probably thought you were buying a house.
And you are right building work for over a year can destroy some peoples lives. The dust, drilling, constant radio, general construction noise. You know this though.
So no, some people will not be happy. They will think you should /could have purchased a home already built.
And will say so. If you are moving into a smaller area considering other people is vital. By all means just consider yourself as your DH says. But don’t expect everyone to love you for doing so.

You're both architects who are surprised at the absolutely inevitable outcome of doing a rebuild in an established neighbourhood?

Well you're entitled to do what you are doing and you are doing nothing wrong.

But you really cannot expect people to be happy about you putting a noisy, dirty building site next to their homes for an extended period of time.

Make sure your builders don't play a radio all day, start and finish at reasonable times, don't work Sundays, don't park antisocially. Make them clean the pavement and the road daily if necessary, be aware that building site dust gets everywhere and they will have to keep their windows closed to keep it out. If any of your neighbours work shifts and sleep days then ask if there is anything you can do to mitigate the problems that will cause them.

I bought a new build on an estate that wasn't finished but that was my choice. If that noise, inconvenience and level of dirt was imposed on me by a new neighbour I'd be totally pissed off with the situation.

Just because it's legal doesn't mean people have to like it.

Yes to the contractors too not just us. We aren’t there constantly but contractors have been having a look around to see what can and can’t be done so there’s been people who have spoke to them.

This. Our next food neighbours pretty much knocked down and rebuilt their house. During lockdown, too! Yes it was annoying but there was nothing we could do. I did need to have a word with the builders a few times who took the piss, so please please make sure your builders follow the local rules re times and days that they are allowed to do noisy work.

So a period property knocked down to be replaced by a white box?

I can see why the neighbours would not be happy. Disruption followed by having to view the cause of the disruption.

You'll not get invited to any neighbourhood parties

Depends really …. You’re both architects so it’s likely to be over sized and completely not in keeping with the area and will stand out in probably not a good way so I can see why people might object

You keep going on about the rules, but you must be aware that this isn’t very pleasant for all your neighbours, regardless of whether you’re right?
1, they don’t think it matches the street
2, they have to put up with a shit load of horrible noise whilst you don’t
3, there is nothing in it for them

our street has had to put up with a lot of this. Of course they ‘can’ do it, but decades ago you each would have had a little hand written note of apology for the noise, maybe a little token present to apologise. Nowadays, nothing. People just do what they want and who gives a shit about anyone else. Dd thinks every big build should come with a rule that you need to buy decent ear defenders for everyone in the vicinity,

This is ai, but similar to what’s happened here, few back handers I imagine, but not surprising with the snp council

The protracted uncertainty would be unsettling for them and then the potential noise and disturbance of the build. How long will it take and at what inconvenience to them? The neighbours will be there for some time to come once you move in so it would be better to listen to them and mitigate concerns, even now plans have been approved. Agree as professional architects you could have anticipated that it would not be well received especially since you live elsewhere.

We’re both architects
That could explain a lot. Architects' houses often seem to be monstrosities where cutting-edge design seems more important than aesthetics. IMHO.

Yeah there's one like this near my friends. Huge house, architect designed so a silly shape that means it shades not one but two neighbours, and the guy thinks he's king of the street.

I think people are friendly enough superficially but there's no warmth there I don't think. Every time I walk past it to get to my mates house I think "wanker". Its such an unignorable expression of 'ooh look what we could do for us'.

As an architect in particular, building your own house is unfortunately a very visible expression of your ego. And as there was a house there already, it is of dubious benefit to the common good. It is inevitable that people will be 😒.

Hopefully you will contribute a lot to your community and people will warm to you in time. (Especially if you don't adopt Mr Wanker's Lordly ways!)

I wonder OP if you ever considered just building an extension on the existing house? Much more environmentally friendly after all.

I can see why people are objecting. Nobody wants to live next to a building site for a year+ no matter what you do to minimise it it’s still going to be loud and bloody annoying and likely not fit in with the rest of the street. Should of brought land to build or a house that fit your needs already, prepare for your neighbours never to get on with you.

I don’t really know what you want though. You don’t mean accept though really. Because they DO have to accept your plans. They have no choice. But they don’t have to like it. I don’t LIKE having to pay tax but I accept I have to do it. I may also moan about at times. But I accept it. So your neighbours will have to accept it. They just won’t like it and will moan. Whether they ever like you and are friendly to you is completely another issue though. So what is it you actually want? If the moaning is bothering you write them all a note to say you will be going ahead regardless and to stop bothering you and your workmen. They’ll like you even less but it might stop the moaning.

AIBU to think that once planning permission has been been granted, people should accept the decision and let us get on with building our forever home?

How are they stopping you from building your forever home? Sounds like they are just complaining - and you can't have expected them not to complain just because you followed due process?

I don't understand why it would increase the value of the other houses in the street.

OP you have a legal right as you have done everything correctly so you are not unreasonable to go ahead with the build.
But your neighbours are not unreasonable to be unhappy about it either.
It will adversely affect their lives for months. They probably won't be able to enjoy their gardens during the summer months.
Building work nearby is noisy and dirty. When a new development was being built a couple of streets down from us the dust still came into our garden when the wind was blowing that way and there was the constant sound of machinery for many months.
You won't be affected as you live many miles away. I can understand why they are upset

I think that a lot of negativity comes from tv programmes that knock the guts out of old houses. If you are building something so modern it changes the character of the street I understand their concern.
I really don't get pulling down houses to rebuild on the plot. Why not buy just land and away from close neighbours?
I also think the London thing is in play here. If you bang on about your credentials nobody will care (I'm assuming you're doing the project in a rural setting?). People will be far more interested in your dogs, their horses and the local pub.
I have worked in London all my life but live in the shires. Nothing gets past the planners here. Be careful where you tread, you'll not be welcomed at the school gate.
I'm moving back to our last location as we're too 'London' for our current village (like you I was born here). I have nothing in common with the locals particularly professionally.

Yep. Crack on, Op, but the neighbours have the right to feel the way that they do.

It doesn't work like that. Where I used to live, the property next door was turned into a business which by its nature meant significant noise throughout the day, increased traffic, people needing to park where no parking existed etc. Every single one of us who were contacted by letter complained, as did a number of other people in the vicinity who saw the notices posted locally. Planning permission was still granted.

We had this when building an extension. The tenants who lived in a house where their garden backed on to the side of ours complained that the walls were too high! Our local planning department told them the landlord hadn't had a problem so, basically it was tough! They weren't overlooked, the windows are in the roof!