Property planning application

[SimpleLifeDreamer]

Hi

New to Mumsnet but my fellow mum friends have recommended it for advice etc so I hope someone can help.

We live in the North of England on a fairly tight housing estate. Tight as in we all over look each other - some local authority and some privately owned.

One of the neighbours has submitted plans to build a double storey huge extension - double the size of what anyone else may have had done around here and will swallow most of their garden

They have labelled the new rooms as a dressing room & up play room and 2 studies ( all upstairs). It's a small 2 bed house at the moment with 5 family members and they have extended family who stay long periods of time with them so it appears they may be used for bedrooms and not what is on the plans.

The houses are simply not big enough for 9 plus people and by labelling the rooms as other than bedrooms, they will be able to potentially circumnavigate the rules on parking spaces etc. i.e they don't have the room to put anymore spaces on their property and street parking is bumper to bumper at the best of times.

The house itself will overshadow 3 neighbouring properties and block out the light/line of sight from 2 of their gardens. one house will have no view other than a brick wall to the side of their property and garden.

Are these matters suitable for objection grounds? Are there laws on use of rooms & number of inhabitants per square meter?

if you are from up north you will know what I mean when I say we are all close in space. for those who arent it's like slapping the kardashians mansion into coronation street all for extending etc when it fits but this is just crazy

any advice

To be honest, the bedroom/vs playroom and relatives staying are very woolly grounds for an objection. People can use their properties to host families.

What will matter is the quality of design in the local context, if it's in keeping with the local character. Also loss of amenity through overlooking etc. I would focus on that.

Thank You. When I say staying long periods they will be living there if they aren't already (offically/unoffically). i just don't know how such a small property can be increased to the proposal size which in comparison is huge and it still won't be enough for 9+ people to live in.

Not really, in planning terms at least. There are space standards to be complied with but this is in regards to size of rooms and size of the overall property in relation to number of bedrooms.

Ultimately you could say it's a substandard level of amenity for so many people who live there- but how can you prove that's the intention? You can't fairly legislate against peoples family arrangements. People are entitled to the private enjoyment of their homes and possessions and this is reflected in the planning system.

If there were to be more than one family living there and there would be more than 6 occupants, then planning permission is needed for a change of use to HMO. This situation couldn't be dealt with until it's happened though- I.e you would report them to the planning department who would follow up appropriately.

Are there adopted parking standards for your area do you know?