Help! Planning permission objections

[Rhuidean]

Just a quick question for those who know about planning permission. We live on a single lane dead end road with 7 bungalows along one side and back gardens along the other. The people opposite want to build a bungalow in the back garden facing ours.

Can anyone help me with grounds to object? The windows will look straight into ours and its a narrow road so they will be fairly close (at the moment its a tall hedge). They have really squashed the bungalow in on the plans but have included parking for two cars and a cycle shed. I have to admit I am feeling a little upset that our house may soon be so overlooked

Go onto your local COuncil website - go to the plannign section - look at planning policy - you should find some planning documents there that set out the requirements for new development. Some Councils have an urban design guide which will set out information on size of garden, overlooking etc.

What is the road like - is it a public highway or a private road? Is there any right of access to the existing rear garden from it?

Here (and we're in Scotland, so it may be different if you're in England) the applicant has to send out a letter detailing the plans to all the neighbours. As mistlethrush says, either this letter or your local council website should list 'acceptable' and 'non-admissable' grounds for objecting. Unfortunately, iirc, being overlooked is in the second category.

It is a public road with right of way for the back of the garden (I think) although there is no dropped curb. I have the plans etc. I will go and have another look at the web site for grounds. I think the problem may be that there are not really any other than I dont want it there, and dont want it to change. There are no trees that could be preserved and I cant think of anything else.

Increased traffic movement - road not suitable for increased traffic, danger, new access, noise etc

Overdevelopment - overbearing, inappropriate in location, detracts from setting of other building, in front of the development line - presumably none of the other gardens are developed? How close is it?

I would also cite loss of privacy - authorities do take this into consideration if you are overlooked. If this development goes ahead them some consideration should be given

Find out who your local Councillor is a email them about it - are they on the planning committee?

Complain to the parish council, if you have one and ask them to object.

There is no pavement on that side, maybe that would be a factor?

yy - unsafe for pedestrian access.

would seriously enlist your neighours- if this is the first house to apply for pp to develop back garden and it is granted, others will follow suit. You all need to object

Thank you for your help I have formulated a complain, listing property line, privacy, danger as lack of pavements and traffic. I had a look at hedges but they dont include garden hedges. If anyone can think of anything else I would be very greatful. Having looked on line there is a recent spate of these kinds of tiny cramped developments from one developer.

Am off to see if the neighbours are in.

Another thing that you might find useful to cite is that the government have just changed the definition of brownfield land - gardens are no longer included in the definition. This is specifically aimed at reducing 'garden grabbing' and overdevelopment. There should be less of a presumption in favour of 'greenfield' development such as this compared to 'brownfield' - which gardens used to be classed as.

sorry, but how can you be overlooked if its a bungalow?

Could they come up with plans that you would approve? If so, it might be worth telling them that you are unhappy with their current plans and planning to object and see if you can reach an amicable compromise.

The site is so small that I dont think they could change the plans.

Its not over looked as such, its directly looked, as in the windows would be directly opposite iyswim.

I am not generally an objector, but this is far too close

You can't use being overlooked/too close as a reason (It didn't work for us anyway). My neighbours now have no view out of their living room window, our gardens are about 7ft, there's a semi right at the bottom.

You can use the 'not in keeping with the neighbourhood'

Most planning departments will give you guidance on what is reasonable grounds to complain about. We were given very, very good advice to complain on proper reasons which appeal to planners minds and not on sentimental issues (their words,not mine). you do not want them reading the letters thinking "what a bunch of nimbys". you want them to read the letters thinking "oh yes they have a valid planning reason for me to reject this application"

I would also be prepared of think about areas of compromise. If someone has applied to build a house, they want to build and house (and have probably checked that in principle it would be ok - and in my experience they keep going until they get what they want. so if they are going to build a house their, under what circumstances would you let it go ahead?

I'd think its highly unlikely if the area is surrounded by housing. If the land is vacant within a good residential area. You can object as much as you can but it has to be on good valid grounds.

Pollution, additional access etc etc isnt really a problem here. Privacy only works with windows and this can be easiy overcome with some design changes.

Objections can go to committee or go to appeal so any objections have to be strong. eg ground flooding,sewage etc. It doesnt matter how many oobject they have to be valid.

Having worked with Planners/architects a few years ago I saw many plots get pp.

But the rules for the 'you can get a plot anywhere on garden land' have changed, as I pointed out. This change only happened after the change in government.

And we really don't have enough to go on - Bacon says that 'access' isn't a reasonable justification - it could easily be if the road is narrow as well as having no footpath one side, perhaps having an awkward junction at the end, or accessing a busy road with poor sight lines - but becuase Rhuidean hasn't givne much information (quite understandable) we can't tell - it could be a nice wide road, with a roundabout at the end with good visibility.... we don't know the site specifics.