My Mums house is near the coast and is 'upside down' (i.e. living area upstairs, bedrooms downstairs) to take advantage of the views. Currently she sees this out of the living room/off her balcony:

But the new next door neighbours have put in a planning application that we generally don't have any issue with (as long as the roof height does not change), but they are proposing a new chimney on the corner of the house that will effectively do this to mums view:

I know you're not entitled to 'a view' but this would impact upon her enjoyment of the 'environment'.
Does she have any basis for an objection, if so on what grounds?

Edit: Would the fact that smoke coming from the chimney could blow directly into the windows make a difference?

I'd be more concerned about how big that tree on the other side of the hedge will be in two years time!

To be honest I really don't think she will notice after a couple of weeks. The smoke however is a different issue. I may be tempted to query the type of fuel being used and impact.

I'd be a bit miffed too.

Chimney rules are usually quite strict so an objection might be successful. Depends on loads of factors so hard to say.

Assuming it's built with the same materials as the house, Coyote+1 – most of it's behind the tree, and a house chimney is hardly an eyesore.

Is that on the Vale of Glamorgan coast? Surely it's Flat Holm in the background?

I'd be more concerned about how big that tree on the other side of the hedge will be in two years time!

Actually he lowered the height of these last Autumn as his property is lower than mums he wanted to open it up to more sunlight – so this benefitted mum.

To be honest I really don't think she will notice after a couple of weeks. The smoke however is a different issue. I may be tempted to query the type of fuel being used and impact.

You're probably right but it is a bit of b****r though. I think the fact that the top of the chimney is effectively at her window/balcony level and that the area is not a sn=moke control zone could well be an issue.
I see that his architect also put a chimney on the 'existing property' plans whereas there actually isn't any chimney at all.

Surely it's Flat Holm in the background?

Nope, it's N. Wales

I think the fact that the top of the chimney is effectively at her window/balcony level and that the area is not a smoke control zone could well be an issue.

I think that is reasonable grounds to object, losing a bit of the view probably isn't.

I'm no expert and it's probably worth looking up what the local authority development control policies say. As you say, I'm pretty sure you don't have any 'rights to a view' over someone else's property, however if they are doing something that seriously impacts your quality of life, then the local authority can (insert appropriate caveat here!) give it consideration. If I were you I'd chat directly to the planners, and see what the situation is.

It's also worth contacting your local councillors, asking them to support you. Depending on local procedures, they may be able to get the application referred to the Development Control Committee, rather than decided by the Planning Officers. Elected members sometimes have a more "flexible" view of planning law . . .

Don't forget that objections are open to the public, so the neighbour would know that your mum had objected – would that be an issue?

Don't forget that objections are open to the public, so the neighbour would know that your mum had objected – would that be an issue?

No issue really. He's a decent guy and we don't have any problem with the rest of the application – just the chimney.

Asbestos roofed garage, costly to remove, and puts peopleof when she sells.

Is that a basking whale in the background. 🙂

If he's fairly amenable has she tried mentioning her concerns to him? Might have better results. They may just not of realised the impact to your mum of putting it there.

sorry you cant object because of loss of view only things like loss of privacy or light.

If he's fairly amenable has she tried mentioning her concerns to him? Might have better results. They may just not of realised the impact to your mum of putting it there.

I wondered this too. Maybe he hasn't thought about it and can put the chimney elsewhere. Probably worth asking

I think that the question is not "Any point in objecting?", but "Any point in not objecting?".

If you don't object, and it is an eyesore, then you have no defence. If you do object, some changes might happen.

You can object on any grounds you like, however the planners will only consider grounds that affect your privacy, quality of life, commercial impact – you could show that the chimney would have an impact on quality of life.

In the first instance though, talk to the neighbour – issues like this are generally best resolved before anyone spends any money (and the neighbours architect and planning application cost money)

Jonah, you are correct in saying you don't have the right to a view. But the visual impact of a development can still be considered

Why doesn't she just pop round and say that she's concerned about the chimney and ask if it could be moved/ reduced/ put somewhere else/ omitted instead of getting all nuke the planet from orbit? Most people are pretty OK when you approach them the right way.

Totally agree with AP. Talk to the neighbour and see what he/she says – you should be able to come to a compromise. A planning objection (apart from the prohibitive cost) should b a last resort as all it's going to do is piss off your neighbour.

As far as objecting on grounds of loss of view – you are onto a loser from the start. You aren't entitled to the view you have and unless your neighbour is proposing a 5 storey block of flats you can't really say they are affecting your enjoyment of the environment. If you got a planning consultant on board they might be able to find some past precedents on the subject and put a case forward to the planning inspectorate but ultimately they tend to be pretty pragmatic on these sort of things – and don't like planning consultants very much.

(I'm an escaped town planning consultant)

Talk to the neighbour and see what he/she says – you should be able to come to a compromise.

This certainly seems the best approach initailly. Unfortunately he lives 120 miles from the property and we haven't seen him since last July but will try and give him a ring.

Asbestos roofed garage, costly to remove, and puts peopleof when she sells.

Not mums……. next doors (another next door) – another issue as it's starting to fall down and the owners are proper old and unlikely to do anything. 😐

Is that a basking whale in the background.

Actually that's the [summer] home of a Mr Bear Grylls.

Edit: actually the island next to it 🙂

Bear Grylls spends his summers living on the back of a whale? Awesome.

rather than raising concerns with the council, I think its best to come to some sort of compromise on this matter. is the chimney totally necessary, why does it need to be so high. make the neighbour see what the plans would look like from her perspective.