Neighbour's massive extension- how to object?

[isitsmallorfaraway]

We’ve recently heard from our next door neighbour that they have submitted plans for a huge extension that will cause real issues for us with light and privacy and essentially make our house virtually attached to theirs as they will come right up to the boundary.

I want to get the best advice to object in the best possible way. Do I need a planning consultant or a planning lawyer (or both?)

Does anyone with experience of working with someone like this have any hints or tips about how to choose the right person or what to look for?

I will need help with drawings and photos to demonstrate the light issues I think so presume someone would come to the property?

Any experience or advice from anyone who has done similar gratefully received

OP, a handy example of what no to write on the planning objection form.

Sounds like you are one of them as well thank you very much wasn’t a period house was 1930s mid terrace no destruction whatsoever to her or you🤫? that’s life and society we live in these days she’s on her 60s surely her children will need to extend at some point. How would you feel if someone else which is on the end of their life or refuse their extension? Is that nice?

I have not seen at all the extension was just refused on the grounds blockage of light

Planning departments have certain criteria they work within to make decisions. Objections /comments in support make neighbours feel better, butv really shouldn't make a difference to the decision

Why don’t you go and tell your neighbour she should suck up your extension because, in her 60s, she’s ‘on the end of her life’?

People fear change , it’s human nature. I’ve seen neighbours arguing over how one has built a wall an inch over boundary 🫤. These were houses with big gardens too .

So one person stole land from the other? That's not human nature, that's illegal.

wasn’t a period house was 1930s

That... is a period house.

These the type of people I was talking about 🙄

The type of people who think stealing is wrong?

My neighbour's also building a huge exstention, but they failed to send letters to anyone else but hey thats fine, as seen as the sneak hides and dont want to discuss ivor way its very underhanded no information, I would not of been so peed off if they discuss with any of use, planning was given, letter well to late from the 21 days, ohhh to bad for us I sposs but i wont be his lovely next door neighbour as from this day as has no respect for other people, the council are just as bad, hope you get your comments in on good time good luck

@Cepuna06 You made me chuckle about end of life, my neighbour is mid 80s and still going to the gym / pool every morning and MIL is mid 90s and still lives in her own home. State pension age isn’t until 67! As someone who endured three new kitchens being installed next door (not from the mid 80s side!) over 18 months and successfully saw off their extension plans so they moved out ( they only wanted to make a quick profit), I don’t understand why people don’t buy the house they want or buy a plot of land and build one (PIL did this) not annoy their neighbours with constant building works.

I’m in this exact situation now. I have a small garden flat and next door has been bought after the elderly couple died. The first I knew of it was when the metal struts for a three and half metre high kitchen extension went in last week. It will totally overpower my flat and block out all the light to the garden. But the guy is refusing to give and says it’s within planning consent. Like an idiot, I signed the party wall agreement before I knew about this. I’m at my wits end as this will ruin my back garden and knock god knows how much off the value of the flat. I’m in Ealing btw.

@Cath2712
https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201155/planning_and_building_control/2030/search_for_a_planning_application

Scroll down on this page until you get to the 'search for a planning application ' button. If you put in the address of your neighbour it will show whether they have made an application, what the plans are and the decision notice which will have the conditions on it.

Unfortunately if PP has been granted, there's not much you can do.

They may be building it under permitted development rules, so it might not need PP (unless they are also a flat - all extensions require PP in this case).

We had planning permission pulled from our development because the neighbours got together and hired a planning consultant - it was recommended for approval but was declined because it was a conservation area. So even though another house had the same extension, we lost in committee.

I’m not bitter though! It’s a good approach if you are serious.

Why would you object to neighbours extension? So stupid! Let them build it it immediately increase your house price because now you can easily extend. Even if you have no plans to extend when you decide to sell the perspective buyer will be interested if he/she can extend.