Loft conversion and overlooking neighbours

[SarkyPants]

I am trying to plan a loft conversion. I'm still at the early stage of figuring out what we want.

Ideally I'd like a big Dormer on the back to give us extra space and I'd like big windows to make it as light as possible. But I'm worried that this will cause problems for our neighbours as the gardens of these (relatively) new builds are very small and we overlook a long row of houses' back gardens. (We are near a corner so these houses are set at 90 degrees to ours.)

Obviously I don't want to piss of our lovely neighbours, and I don't want to be peering into their gardens, but I'm finding it hard to figure out how much of a problem this will be, and how much worse it will be then the existing first florr windows that we have.

And advice for how to figure this out? Or solutions that would give us the light/space without becoming the neighbourhood snoopers?

Sorry, can't help, but watching with interest as we have a similar problem, want to add dorma windows in a similar set up to a room in our already part converted attic as it would give us sea views & there isn't really another wall to put a windo on, though I doubt most of our neighbours would actually notice (short term rented. students etc) some further down might & I'm wondering what the law is now as I heard it was changing soon.

I wouldn't be too bothered. Surely someone would have to be standing next to the window looking down to see into the garden, in which case they could do it from the second floor. If you were sat at a desk or something, your gaze would be forward and over their gardens.

That is what I'm wondering Delaying.
From the current first floor you have to be right by the window to snoop and most their gardens are hidden behind the relatively high fences.. But from the loft the angle would be different so much more of their gardens would be visible.
Also I'd like full length windows if possible, which I think would make things visible from furtehr back in the room.

Maybe I need to do some drawings...

As long as your not in a conservation area or area of outstanding natural beauty you can build a loft without planning permission. Therefore your neighbours will be unable to stop you. I would go and talk to them about your ideas first and see how they react - you could always use blinds, curtains etc to screen yourself from them and vice-versa.

Thanks for the suggestion. The nearest house is on the market so will have changed hands by the time we do anything, but it would definitely help to go and look up from her garden.

You can make your glass on the dormer opaque to deal with neighbours concerns - still lets in light but prevents privacy issues.

If the property is a new build you may need planning permission for a dormer window as 'permitted development rights' can be removed - check with the local council first.
If you do need permission, the Council will take into account the current level of overlooking from first floor windows. Hte increase from dormer windows is usually fairly insignificant.
This gives the basic rules

Thanks.
I'm reassured by the fact that this thread hasn't been swamped by people telling me how their lives have been ruined by their neighbours' selfish dormers :)

We've just put in a backward facing dormer - Mine only overlooks a handful of back gardens, so I wasn't too worried - our gardens are not very private anyway, as we are in a Victorian terrace with narrow gardens, and no-one wants to put up a high fence as it would block the light. I wanted the dormer to face backwards as we are on a a main road. I had to speak to the nearest neighbours before we started (party wall act), and neither expressed any concerns about the dormer - they were more interested in which week the noisiest work would happen, so they could avoid being on nights that week.

My friends' dormers can see right into about ten gardens! Never been a problem. Who has time to stare out of windows for hours? And if people are that bothered about privacy, they need to find a garden that doesn't join onto others, as the vast majority do. (Not that I don't respect privacy, but you have to be realistic!)

I have lived in an Edwardian flat for 38 years. My neighbour who has caused so much grief with construction work at weekends has now contacted the council who have issued a letter demanding I have my side window sealed as it overlooks his property when opened. Question is my property was built with a side window insitu. It has not been added as an ' unauthorised development' as stated in correspondence. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Basically you are wanting to do something which will negatively impact your “lovely” neighbours and quite likely impact others. You are able to do this because some years ago the UK government introduced “permitted development “ which gave rein to those who want to change their property and the neighbours having the right to object. I am still trying to figure out how to screen the ugly dark grey box a neighbour built overlooking my garden. They have the house. Mine is a small garden flat. I used to love my garden and open sky view. Why not buy a bigger house if you want more space? Instead of putting your lovely neighbours into a position that they are needing to consider that, as am I.

I really can’t imagine how this neighbour can legally be supported on this. I would advise you answer exactly as you describe and hope they move out.

I’m in reverse situation. I live in a one bedroom ground floor flat with garden . I’m now witnessing the third overlooking neighbour getting a loft extension built. This takes out part of my sky view and is an ugly black box on top of what used to be a pretty red brick terrace view. Next door a conjoined house has done this it overshadows my side return and I no longer get early sun through my kitchen door. I just hope the other 2 backing houses build great big additions which the Victorian terrace foundations can’t cope with and the whole lot sinks. If you want a bigger space buy a bigger house. I can make no objection to this Tory rule of permitted development in spite of how negatively affected the original terraces are.