Neighbours extension. Should they knock the wall down?

[Pittapatta]

We live in a typical Victorian terrace house with small back kitchens. The neighbours have put in plans for a side return extension to extend their kitchen. We have a low lying stone wall between the gardens. They want to knock it down where their extension will go and have their extension built up to the boundary line. So instead of a wall we will have the wall of their extension. At the moment we have an old decaying lean-to in the side on our area. But one day we either need to take it down and have open space or build our own side extension. Obviously their extension will now block our light as it is a prespex side.

I wasn't expecting them to want to knock the wall down. Is this typical and what do I need to think about?

My first thought would be that if they build up to the boundary line they will have to access your garden to undertake maintenance/repairs and also if you want to extend your property you won’t have the ability to extend as far due to needing a reasonable gap between properties.

There was an article in the paper recently where someone had extended so close to their neighbours house the guttering on each roof was overlapping. In the comments section there were people saying there had to be a certain distance between properties. I’d want to find out if that was true and ideally I’d want that wall to stay.

This would be a no from me. I’d feel like I lived in their garden.

I looked at a house recently like this as we are looking to buy - it put us right off.

Building to the boundary wall is normal, they should offer to have a party wall surveyor make clear their obligations to 'put right' the space & set out the scope of works. You won't have to pay for this.

It's nonsense that your extension couldn't be as big in the future, as you'd get your own party wall agreement to attach your extension to theirs.

It is their responsibility and obligation to pay for you to have your own party wall surveyor, and you should be able to talk through the options for how the boundary is treated and especially given your own future plans. I.e it can be fine in such a way that you can use the boundary too in future.

Object to the planning permission: object to any windows facing your garden, and speak to the planning department about your scope for objection.

Doesn’t the extension have to be a meter away from the end of their property and something about the wall facing your property as well? Maybe post in legal to get the right info?

Planning does not mean an extension can go ahead. Who owns the wall ?

Definitely make sure you have a Party Wall Agreement and take advice. It may end up saving you money in the long run if you can use it as the side wall for your own extension but you'd probably want to ascertain that up front. They definitely would need to pour foundations on your side of the garden which is quite invasive.