Neighbour upset that we want to extend

[happychange]

We moved into a Victorian terrace about 4 months ago. Mentioned in passing to our next door neighbour that we are thinking of a side return extension.

He got fairly upset and told us that we have to give him lots of notice and the plans as it would block the light in his house.

Well, we bought the house as it had potential to extend, not really sure what we can do really.

Any advice?

Why is it a surprise for the NDN that a new home-owner wants to do building work?

Every time a house near me changes hands there seems to be an extension or re-modelling going on.

Several people on here have stated there is no right to light - this is incorrect
In the U.K. there is a right under the Prescription Act
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righttoo_light
This is usually controlled through the planning process and has some limitations.

That said if every other neighbours has an extension like this then it clearly hasn't been deemed to be an issue so it would be unlikely that an extension would be refused.

Permitted development rights have been extended but they are also limited by requiring in some circumstances that the application is not objected to by neighbours so you go through a slimmed down process with the council. They may place limitations as to size and height of any extension.

I tend to find that people often have a knee jerk reaction to their neighbours having an extension and don't always look at it objectively. I get it, it's their homes & lives and they want to protect them.

We ended up doing a full computer model sun study (shows sun conditions / shadows throughout the day for the whole year) to demonstrate to a neighbour that they would be overshadowed because they wouldn't believe us even though common sense told me that the sun didn't work like that. The client was happy to pay to keep the neighbour happy as it wasn't required as planning agreed with me there would be no overshadowing or overlooking, infact as the new extension was on a plot set down from the other they'd only be able to see it if they purposely hung out of their bathroom window and craned their necks even though it was quite large.

Our neighbours did this and used their side passage to build on meaning no direct access to their back garden. They then assumed their builder could use our passageway and garden to access the site (no) they also expected the window cleaner and other service to use it to gain access - suggesting a gate in the fence panel - no!!!

People get so absorbed in their own plans and forget the inconvenience to their neighbours. Most of the building work is done to increase the size and value of the property to sell on so they don’t care.

Don’t be that neighboir

green Good. How did the builders build with no access? I can't believe the CF of some people.

@GreenTulips sounds like a selfish neighbour , I hope you told them it was their problem not yours.

Extensions don't have to cause problems if they are given some thought - sounds like your neighbour either didn't give it any thought or didn't really care. I don't really get involved in that kind of extension as if they've gone to the expense of hiring a proper architect they've committed to thinking about the project in quite some depth.

Most terraces aren't accessed through the side but from a rear lane so this should be less of an issue.