Our neighbours covertly converted a small outbuilding into living accommodation and got a Lawful Development Certificate for that use in that building.
They now want to demolish the building which the LDC is for, saying it isn't fit for purpose, and build a full scale house elsewhere on their plot. We don't think the LDC should have been granted, as the change of use was concealed from public view and falls foul of the Local Plan in terms of residential development outside the village boundary (which our neighbours were aware of from an earlier planning application).
Can we appeal the LDC on the grounds that the change of use was concealed from the public? Does the LDC cease to be valid once the building it relates to is demolished, or is it essentially planning permission through the back door? We think that the fact that our neighbours changed the use of their outbuilding despite being told by the council in writing that a second residential building was not permitted on their plot shows contempt for local planning rules and wondered whether this can be used as part of an objection to their current application, or does the objection have to only relate to the specific application we are objecting to?