My neighbour's new shed

[shedofdread]

Hello everyone

My house is set into a hillside and our garden slopes up so the back of the garden is level with our bedroom window.

Our neighbour has erected a shed in their back garden. It is 5m away from and level with our bedroom window. She can see into our bedroom window - admittedly just a into the corner of the room where there's currently just a wardrobe but it still feels like a loss of privacy.

At my OH's request I didn't say anything, but last weekend they complained that the hedgerow at the back of our garden is blocking the light to their shed.

I wouldn't mind if the shed was just a place to store tools, but this thing has a verandah with glass windows and doors.

They didn't get planning permission. I am annoyed at their sense of entitlement in telling me to cut our laurel back and I feel as if we have lost a lot of our privacy.

Do I have any rights to ask her to take it down? And what are the rules regarding putting a big fence up between us, or maybe even a hedgerow? I know planning is tricky because the town we're in is part of a world heritage site.

If you’re that worried just report it to the planning people and let them decide.

Permitted Development I expect, how large is it? How tall is it? How far from the boundary? Have a look at the rules online.

Ah World heritage site, you say? PP may be required in that case, you could check with the Local Authority. What are you wanting to achieve OP? To move the structure to another position or for it to go completely? I can see this leading to a possible falling out with your neighbour. Should you report it, so tread carefully.

It’s not a shed?! It’s a man cave or something is it? Why would she care about blocked light in a shed?!
You have two options. You don’t have to cut your Laurel, just say no because we will lose privacy or say nothing at all and grow a conifer 🤣.
Or, chop your Laurel and get a blind.

Haha they built a shed next to a hedge then complained the hedge is there?
Jog on neighbours!
Absolutely do not cut the hedge. I presume it is on your land (hedge).
I would send them a written letter saying you forbid them from cutting your hedge except where it overhangs their land. And they are NOT to reduce the height.

It is likely the "shed" / summer house is allowed (although might be worth checking rules). But if it stays you could get some of that willow screening and put it behind your hedge for extra privacy.

Does it have a window overlooking your garden or is the veranda facing your way?

Where's the diagram anyway? You know it is obligatory

Tell her if she has issues you can always speak to the planning department…

Plant another laurel or two.

There was a poster a couple of weeks ago whose neighbour had out a summer house in their garden which was not permitted under the planning rules in an AONB. I'd find out the rules where you are

Sorry about this. Same thing has happened to me with consequent falling out/general misery.

My advice is - don’t be indirect or passive-aggressive. Tell them the problem which is that you don’t like the fact there is a line of sight to you bedroom and therefore you need screening.

Also fine to say you like the hedge.

Focus on the change they could make that would reassure you eg blinds in the shed

I live in a conservation area and they are very fussy about sheds. My neighbour had planning declined because the shed didn't fit in with the conservation area.

Give your hedge an extra feed and hope it grows taller. If it doesn't, bamboo grows massively high and fast so a double hedge?

There are rules about what is 'permitted development'; check your local council website. You'll likely find that they can have the summer house there, or at worst would have to move it a very small amount. That's the problem with gardens like yours, you will always be overlooked. So I second bamboo as a screening plant. It grows fast, is low maintenance and perfect for obscuring the neighbours' view of you

Don't start a neighbour war over your wardrobe feeling self conscious. Politely say 'we feel a bit overlooked by your new building and though we don't want to complain we do feel that we want to keep the screening that the laurel provides. If you have any other thoughts on ways to make the new building less intrusive on us then do let us know.'

Quite funny that they have spent a bomb on this and didn't think about where the light falls.

Planning requirements depend on how high, near boundary, size relative to garden and Conservation area/aonb, and whether there are any Permitted Development Rights. They have no right to light so cannot make you cut the plants. I doubt , however, the view into your bedroom is as clear as you fear.

Hilly world heritage site you say? You're not in Bath are you....my parents had all sorts of problems with a neighbour using a garden as industrial land, the council were pretty good about enforcing things but people can be sneaky. I'd ring the council and have an innocent chat. And don't cut your own hedge.

Ugh why would you be so nasty to go and report them to the local planning department? Just say that you like your hedge and that due to the slope, they can see into your bedroom window and so you’re keeping the hedge.

You’ve not “lost a lot of privacy” though have you. They can only see a corner with the wardrobe.

Look just tell them you feel you’ve lost some privacy so want to keep thit Laurel high. Don’t go nuclear a d report them, neighbour wars are never advisable.

Planning is a legality. Why should op not follow rules just because ndn is an entitled arse? Do not cut your trees. What can they do? Go to planning dept? Doubt it.

@Bluntness100

You’ve not “lost a lot of privacy” though have you. They can only see a corner with the wardrobe.

Look just tell them you feel you’ve lost some privacy so want to keep thit Laurel high. Don’t go nuclear a d report them, neighbour wars are never advisable.

I disagree with this. I have rearranged our bedroom.

Before, they were at eye level with us in our garden, now they are looking across level with out bedroom or down into us with our garden.

Before, they were at eye level with us in our garden, now they are looking across level with out bedroom or down into us with our garden.

For this they must have built the land up significantly or the shed must be two storey - either of these would need PP

It's very hilly here @Waxlyrically - the back boundary of our garden and theirs is a bit higher than our first floor.

We need a diagram