Extension blocking light

[Cinderpi]

We've just got the keys to our new house (at last!) and I've just noticed that the neighbour's conservatory has a little (1ft high max) window that peeks over the fence - it's built right up against the boundary). This isn't an issue for privacy, since it's above head height and I can't imagine very elderly neighbours clambering all over the furniture.

However, we want to put in an extension (permitted development) running the full width of our house, which I think would then block most of the light from that window. Obviously this shouldn't make much of a difference to the overall light in their room, but I really don't want to annoy them... Any suggestions?

We had exact this situation. Tbhbyour neighbour's conservatory shouldn't have been built like that.

How long hasn't been there? It might not have acquireda right to light yet. Also the deeds.may prohibit a right to light.

Luckily for us the neighbour didn't object.

You potentially need a apecialist solicitor.

What direction does your garden face and is your house to the left or right of your neighbour's house (as you look at your houses from the front?).

No-one has a right to light. Ancient lights are a very different matter, and unlikely to apply in this case.
If planning permission were required, planners would need to see if the extension reduced light levels within the neighbouring property to such a degree as to be detrimental, but that usually only relates to habitable rooms (which would not include a conservatory) and in any case, as a conservatory, most light would be coming through walls and roof, not a tiny window.
If you don't need pp, even this would not be relevant.
Obviously your main concern is therefore not upsetting your new neighbours too much. I think all you can do is inform them of your intentions early on, show them the plans etc. I assume the conservatory is itself an addition, which they chose to build right up to the boundary, and therefore should have expected that a similar addition might be built on the neighbouring property at some point. If the window is too high to see out of, then the actual visual presence of your extension won't be an issue.

Thanks all!

The garden faces south east I think, and the neighbours are to the right of us as you look from the front.

I'll talk to the neighbours once we've drawn up plans! It's helpful to know we're not in the wrong about doing the work. I'll offer them lots of cake while the work's ongoing, hopefully that will keep things friendly