Objecting to a planning application

[hmmmmmmmmm]

Some elderly neighbours/friends have received notice that their (other) neighbours have made a planning application for a huge extension.

My friends are on a corner plot, so the side of the of the other house is at the back of my friends' garden iyswim. ATM the single storey garage effectively forms part of my friends' garden wall.

The plan is to build a 2 storey extention which will run the whole width of their my friends' garden (the house and garage currently only run approx one half of it and that is single storey only). It is a large garden, but wide rather than long, so the plans mean that the south facing garden (and in winter the house too) will be in shade all day.

My friends love their garden and are in it all day in all weather, this really matters to them. It also means that he view from all their back windows will be a 2 storey (plus gable end)brick wall. There are no new windows that will overlook them though. Theirs is the only other house/garden that will be affected by it.

Do they have any chance of preventing it, if so what are their best angles for objecting?

I don't know very much about this, but what I do know is that there are certain things which are valid objections, and certain things that are not, and that it's rather hard for the general public to distinguish between them!

A relative is a planning officer and objected to a couple of local proposed developments on our behalf - his objections were taken very seriously, and one development was not allowed, and another was modified. He also said that objections are much more likely to be successful if phrased in the appropriate terms straight away, rather than the planning officer having to read between the lines. For example, I think there's something about 'disporportionate to the scale of the surrounding buildings', but it helps if you say that, rather than 'this building is far too large'.

Hopefully someone will come along with more knowledge shortly...

They need to write to the planning officer (whose name should be on the letter sent to them by the council) saying they object to the application and giving the reasons why.

In this case it sounds like the main reasons would be that it would result in significant loss of light/overshadowing to their rear rooms and rear garden and would create an oppressive/overbearing environment when viewed from these rooms and garden. THis would result in significant detriment to their residential amenities.

They should expand on these objections, setting out things like you've put in your post, e.g. the extension is to the south so it will block light, the size of the house now and if extended, how deep (long) their garden is, how close it will be to their garden/rear windows, what rooms their rear windows serve (if they are bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room etc, then they are 'habitable' rooms and generally have more protection than if the rear rooms are utility, bathroom, landing, hall, ensuite etc, 'non-habitable rooms') etc.

If there are no new windows that will overlook them then it would be difficult to object on the grounds of overlooking/loss of privacy but they could ask for a condition to be imposed preventing any new windows being inserted in the elevation facing their garden if permission is granted.

If they don't think the design fits in with the scale and design of the existing house or streetscene they could also object on this basis.

They should ask for the planning officer to visit their property to view how the extension would look from their rear windows/garden. If a proposal is going to impact on nearby dwellings then it is good practice for the planning officer to have a look at the site from the potentially affected property and take photos.

They could also speak to their local councillor (not a parish councillor but their district/borough councillor) setting out their concerns as well.

Their letter will become a public document and so will go on the planning file so anyone (including the people who have made the application) could read it or ask who, if anyone, has objected. Not trying to put them off writing a letter but just making you aware of this as not everyone realises.

Whether it will be refused or approved really depends on the circumstances of the site and its surroundings and I can't advise on that.

Hope this helps.

There are specific grounds which can be considered for objections . Check out the planning portal website or the local council website for these and make each point relevant (ie. development out of keeping with area, any established tree issues expecially those with a TPO, loss of amenity ...)

GrendelsMum is right, there are only certain valid planning objections - design (including impact on the character of the existing dwelling and the streetscene) is one, as is impact on the amenities of the occupiers of nearby dwellings (i.e. your friends' house and garden). These are the main objections that would be relevant to an application for an extension, but other ones that could apply could be:

• highway safety (e.g. if it would mean no parking spaces available on the site any more, if it would impede visibility, if turning space is required and none is provided) - these are not usually objections to extensions though;
• loss of trees - if a tree that is protected by a Tree Preservation Order would be felled or if a tree that looks important (but isn't protected) would be lost;
• impact on a conservation area or listed building - this only arises if the property is in a conservation area or is a listed building or is adjacent or very close to one.

The most common objections that can't be taken into account relate to impact on property prices and loss of views.

Keeping their letter clear, concise, solely related to planning objections and setting out the reasons why they don't like it would also be helpful, but all valid planning related comments set out in letters of objection should be taken into account, regardless of how well they are written.