Neighbours have built a massive shed...WWYD

[ChickenFajitasAndNachos]

My garden is slightly higher that my neighbour to the left and the neighbour to the right garden is slightly higher than ours. The neighbour to the right have done a load of work in their garden, got rid of the lawn and tiered the garden into two levels. On the top tier they have installed a big shed/outbuilding which towers over our garden by about 4 feet. It ruins our view inside the house, especially in the kitchen and upstairs and also in the garden.
I have checked out the law on this and they are allowed to have an outbuilding of 2.5 meters, I dont know if theirs is taller but am assuming it isn't as most shed companies do mention this height restriction when selling sheds etc.
My first thought was put up trellis on top of my fence to block out the view of some of the fence but I would need planning permission for this as it would make the fence higher than 6 foot.
Would you?

1. Knock next door and say "your new shed is very tall, ruins my view, how tall is it"
2. " just to let you know I'm planning on putting up trellis because your shed seems very tall from our house"

Do nothing and suck it up. We did go to the garden centre the day after it happened and planted 5 tall plants/small trees but these are not really helping the view. I live in a new build house and my neighbours and I have been here a year, we wave at each other once or twice a week and chat about every six weeks or so. Thanks for reading, I know this isn't a big problem but seeing this big shed thing was quite a big shock.

There are rules about putting things on raised areas I think and also about how close to a fence a tall structure can go. It's likely they have infringed some sort of rule. You could phone the council for advice. But be careful of flat out reporting them as it could turn a bit sour. Putting trellis on your fence should be fine as it's not part of the fence, it's an add on, but again you could ask the council to be sure.

Good ideas, thank you for replying.

I agree with getting in touch with the council planning department and ask them for their opinions before I went to the neighbours. I don't think you need to mention names at the first stage if you are just making general enquiries. I certainly wouldn't report it at this stage. I exjpect they will have infringed a rule but maybe you can reach some sort of compromise.

When you think they are out, lean over the fence and measure the height of the shed. It it's within 2m of your boundary then it needs to be 2.5m in height or less.

I would call the Council and make a general enquiry

Are they using the shed as accommodation for someone? This would certainly get the local authority interested, if you're in an area where there is a problem with illegal shed-dwelling.

If they have raised the level of the garden and got 2.5m height then it may contravene planning regs. Also there is maximum sq footage for separate buildings and how it can be used. You can screen with trellis/foliage over 6ft.

Thank you, I am definitely going to try and measure it. They have a weekend home they go to so may be able to do it this weekend. It's such a shame as we brought the house because of the garden and how it backs onto woods and now I have a massive shed to look at from my kitchen window. I don't want to fall out with my neighbours but at the same time I would never do something like that to my neighbours.
I think I'll find out the height before doing any thing else.

I am sure you can put trellis on top of a 6ft fence.

I would just go right ahead and put trellis up, just enough to obscure your view of the shed. The worst that can happen is they can ask you to take it down again. They're hardly likely to.

I'm going to measure the shed and then get a plan. I googled putting trellis on a 6 foot fence and it seems you do need permission. I can however plants trees as high as I want.

Really ? you could call the council to check but think that may apply only to front of property

I forgot to mention the shed has a window which looks directly into my kitchen

Put the trellis up. If anyone comes to check from planning then they'll also see the shed.

You can go up to 2m with fencing (6'6") without needing pp.

Put up the trellis - our neighbours did six foot fence panels with trellis on top, and we were grateful for it. I doubt they'll mind at all, most people like a bit of privacy in their garden.

Unless they have someone living in the shed, I wouldn't worry too much about the overlooking window tbh. They may just not have realised how intrusive it would feel to you. Big shrubs will grow quickly and you won't notice it so much and a nice bit of trellis, with some clematis over it, will help too.

I just measured my fence near the shed and it's 2 meters. The shed towers about 4 to 5 feet above it.

Thank you to everyone for replying. I thought perhaps the response would be "get a life". I'll measure it and if the she is 2.5 meters or less I'll look into trellis and more planting. I guesss it's just one of those things. where are those matches

Won't it depend on their ground height, though? 4/5 feet above your fence may still be under 2m on their side.

Yes definitely, it seems really tall on my side but may be the permitted height their side. It's hard to tell by hanging out of the bedroom windows!

but if they have artificially raised the level then that may also come within the 2.5m

You could try screening the shed with several tall growing shrubs in large (half-barrel size) tubs.

If you buy well-established large shrubs (£30 - £50 each), they will grow several feet in height very quickly.

We have a photinia (lovely red young foliage in spring, evergreen too) and it has already reached 6ft high and nearly 5ft wide. Blocks view of (lovely) neighbours conservatory, Also have 3 of them elsewhere, in separate tubs, to create a 'hedge' effect.

Glad to here about this, my neighbour building a summerhouse and decking - turns out to be massive, they have raised the back garden level nearly 3 feet - meaning they will be looking over my garden - a new build - they have just started so going to ask tomorrow that they stop or build the fence another 2 feet! So rude, the people behind will have no sun at all so don't how they will fell when the massive summerhouse goes up! WHAT ARE THE THINKING. Are the rules in SCOTLAND similar.

I think it's probably 2.5m from the original ground level. At least, that's the rules for fence heights between gardens at different levels.

ZOMBIE

May want to start a new thread, Winnie.