Neighbours side return extension and my kitchen window

[ChristopherTracy]

I just want some hand holding please. We didn't object to the neighbours extension because it would have seemed churlish and I didn't think we had any grounds.

But they have just built the side wall today of the infill and OMG its massive - its sticking out feet above the fence (they have left a foot and a half gap of side return still) and will comprise most of the view from our side kitchen window.

Please tell me that other people have experienced this and got used to it? Maybe it will be better once it is rendered and not grey breezeblocks?

It will look much much better once it's properly done, it's always a shock when they first go up.

We've put up a trellis on the fence next to our neighbour's wall, you can get fast growing climbing plants that will soften up the look and make for a nicer view.

Thanks @OverTheRubicon was that your fence or their fence? The fence on that side belongs to the neighbours as well. I know it will look better once it is rendered I am just having a wobble.

I really understand this as it was a factor in a recent move for us.

I agree that putting a trellis on your side will help. Are you able to see any windows and are they obscured? Again that will help assure you on the privacy side.

One small consolation is that they haven't built to the boundary so you don't need to become "access' for maintenance. This infuriates me as there is this assumption it'll be granted when requested and then you worry about precedence. But you don't thankfully have that issue.

No - there's no windows, just the huge wall.

I think actually we will be moving once they have finished up and the shared access looks less like a building site as well. Hopefully they will crack on as we wont be able to put our house on the market until they have totally finished.

@NewHouseNewMe

I hate to tell you but if you don't grant access for maintenance they can apply to court for an Access Order.

See here:

www.clarkslegal.com/Blog/Post/Can_I_have_access_to_a_neighbours_land_to_carry_out_works_to_my_property

That's for the reply @VeniVidiWeeWee
That's interesting to know.

@ChristopherTracy Why didn’t you think you had any grounds to object? Any comments or concerns you had should have been addressed to Planning. Planning would have then decided which comments were material considerations. The main one you should have commented on was the loss or reduced outlook and daylight. Kitchens are not generally seen to be habitable areas, so the outlook/daylight may not have been as important as that to a Living, Dining or Bedroom area.

[quote VeniVidiWeeWee]@NewHouseNewMe

I hate to tell you but if you don't grant access for maintenance they can apply to court for an Access Order.

See here:

www.clarkslegal.com/Blog/Post/Can_I_have_access_to_a_neighbours_land_to_carry_out_works_to_my_property[/quote]
But they can access from their own back garden, which is what both neighbours would have to do if the both had side return extensions.

@DevilDamo Its a good question, I suppose because these extensions are ten a penny and so I assumed there was nothing to object about. I am only realising now that most people have long ago reorientated their kitchen windows to the back where the outside toilet used to be so it doesnt affect them as much.

But they can access from their own back garden, which is what both neighbours would have to do if the both had side return extensions.

If the side wall needs maintaining they wouldn’t be able to do that from their back garden. So they can get access via the OP’s property to maintain it (assuming the gap they’ve left between the wall and boundary isn’t enough to stand in). If both houses had side returns then obviously there wouldn’t be any exposed side wall to be maintained as the two extensions would be back to back.

FWIW OP if these extensions are ten a penny in your area I doubt you would have got anywhere with an objection.

I think your best bet is to create a green wall to look at from your kitchen window.

Also just to add, if you are thinking of moving than your neighbour has already set a precedent for any building work your buyer may want to do in future. We sold our house ( went to sealed bids as lots of interest) with plans drawn up to extend and do the loft ( we didn't put planning in as decided to move but knew it would be granted as the neighbours had already done the same)

If you’re selling imminently, your neighbours have actually done you a favour. Everyone wants a side return these days, especially one with decent head height. If there’s a precedent right next door, not to mention a supporting wall already erected, your buyers will choose your house ahead of others.

Yes, I know from a planning position it is really good but the reason we couldn't do it or it wouldn't be worth someone doing it to our house is that ours is at the top of the market for the road anyway - next door got theirs really cheap as it needed total renovation.