Self build - being blackmailed - help!

[beingblackmailed]

I would be so grateful for any advice!

We are trying to get planning permission for a self build but have one objection from a neighbour. This means it will go to committee. For a number of reasons committee would be a massive set back as we can’t have any delays. Neighbour is trying to blackmail us saying she will remove objection if we buy her something for her land (worth £10k- £5k). She is not mentally well at the moment due to something horrible that has happened to her recently. We’re really worried she’s also going to try to sue us by claiming she or her daughter have been injured on our site (she has made vague hints about this).

We don’t know what to do. Can we get a general site insurance that will protect us if something did happen to her or her child? Could she even sue against us as she’d be trespassing? Is there any point reporting the blackmail to anyone or is it something that would be too hard to prove?

We are completely broken people at the moment.

Your site insurance would cover you if sued by a mad neighbour for injury incurred on site, even if they were trespassing. This should give you some peace of mind.

“ I did t think that tenants had the right of objection. “

Anyone at all can comment on planning applications. I could comment on the OP’s application if I knew the address.

Most councils don’t refer to Committee for one silly objection! Are you sure this cannot be resolved under delegated powers? Ask again for this and make a huge fuss.

Also, don’t change plans! You didn’t have permission to change via the pp system. Don’t take the word of officers and build what you have permission to build. You could revert to the plans. I would still argue strongly for a delegated decision though.

Ignore the neighbour. Is your change of plan likely to succeed or not? What are the planning policies surrounding your change? You can work out if this change will be approved and councillors cannot take malicious objections into account. Objections must be about planning policies. So go through the policies and see if anything is a valid objection.

Go to the committee and ask to speak. Keep your comments to valid planning reasons about why you need this variation. It’s your property and nothing to do with who rents next door. If you need help, seek out a planning professional.

Surely it has to go to the committee anyway? The planning dept doesn’t have the power to decide planning applications, they merely make a recommendation to the committee that makes the decision.

No. That’s not correct. A lot of planning decisions are delegated to Planning Officers. The Councils have differing rules on when pp applications go to Committee. It’s a serious waste of time to send every little thing to Committee and just one objection on a revision wouldn’t send it to Committee where I live. The Committee take decisions on more complex applications and ones that are contentious. They certainly do not decide on all applications. If any Council still does this, they must have few pp applications!

Hi bubbles - unfortunately yes where we live it does need to go to committee on one silly objection. Most councils will take it if there’s more than 3 or sometimes 5 but our council take it to committee if there’s only 1 and even if it’s not valid. The thing she’s complaining about is not even part of the design.

Tattypoo - going to shop around for some insurance today. Current insurer will not insure us while site is vacant.

Longearedbat - I don’t think telling someone to fuck off is a good idea no matter how much I want to. They own the cottage next door burning bridges wouldn’t be a smart move. We did say no though. We have been constantly in contact with the council telling them this is not on but we are completely powerless and again can’t afford to be out of favour with them. Have heard horror stories about this in the past where planning have made it difficult for people.

To be clear - WE HAVE NOT CHANGED THE DESIGN - not even one little bit. It is exactly the same as the one we have planning permission on. The problem was the method of construction we used. Planning originally told us to go ahead, neighbour kicked up a fuss, planning said they shouldn’t have said yes and we need to reapply.

You can use any method of construction as long as the final appearance is similar to what was approved. Unless you're in a listed building or conservation area of course. You would also need building regs which don't need prior approval

Johnd2 - the neighbour is in a listed building. That’s where a lot of the problems regarding planning permission have come from. We are in close proximity but did manage to obtain permission for exactly the same design last time so we’re hoping we will be granted it again.

Also conservation are supporting our application

In a hurry but you should be able to get public liability insurance for a site - we did on ours. Also any requests (extortion) from your neighbour tell her to put in writing then you have evidence. Good luck!