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I live in a new build with a smallish garden. On 2 sides my garden is surrounded by houses (mine and one neighbours). Now the other neighbour has erected a huge outhouse to use as a golf simulator room! I think it's just within the rules, ie he's placed it exactly 1m from my fence, exactly 4m high etc. But it still will block out what little sun I get and will affect my house price. He's a selfish ****, given he could have put it the other side of his garden but that would impact the view out his French windows.
Other than frozen sausages, any recourse here? He didn't even have the decency to discuss it with me first.
Basically the building takes up a 3rd of his garden, which gives some context to what he's built.
Ta
Got more bad news for you - the noise coming from it is going to be deeply irritating too. WHACK-BOOMF…
If just 1m from fence 4m is too high if i remember correctly from when we put up a shed
Council planning department should be your first port of call, the sooner the better.
Also worth considering how much of a neighbourhood war you're willing to start and if the neighbour is likely to be a spiteful nasty piece of shit if he's forced to take it down, pay compensation etc.
Get it down!
https://nextgenspaces.co.uk/understanding-the-2-5-metre-rule-for-garden-rooms-buildings-in-the-uk/
Sounds like some stealthy middle of the night tape measure action is required before making the decision as to if you want to throw the neighbourhood relationship granade . Always best to be informed rather than just plough in.
And the noise....that could get old fast. Better than a drum practise room I guess.
Check the planning permission for the site. New build scheme can have the permitted development rights removed (often as a Reserved Matters condition).
Yeah within 2m of the boundary maximum height is 2.5m.
I built a pergola last year, in the space behind the garage. Made sure it wasn't more than 2.5m high.
Council.
My neighbours did something similar (I posted on STW about it at the time), I reported it to the council and it was gone within the week. YCMV.
If it is permissible (which it doesn't sound like it is) then your only other recourse is talking with your neighbour and good luck with that.
Yeah within 1m of the boundary maximum height is 2.5m.
Is it not within 2m? The video above explains it better. Definitely not 4m high, 1m from boundary.
I guess the issue is, would it being a bit further away and a bit lower make a meaningful difference to you or just being there at all is the game changer.
Sorry typo, yes 2m from boundary affects the height.
One other aspect is that if it's within 1m it needs to be constructed of primarily non-combistable materials. I know you can get treatments for wood that make them non-combistable but it's another avenue to explore.
https://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/resource/building-regulations-garden-sheds/
1m here in scotland.
I guess until the sun comes out in the summer I'll not know the full impact. I'm slightly pissed as he clearly knows the rules, and has (I think) met them, but not even considered the implication on his neighbour
If it's within the rules I guess there is nothing I can do however if not I'll be approaching council. No issues with a breakdown of neighbourly relationships, I always say hello but beyond that there is nothing to break down.
I guess until the sun comes out in the summer I'll not know the full impact.
........
here in scotland.
All the sun coming out tells you is that it'll be raining soon 🙂
You don't actually need to wait - becuase really you'd be waiting a full year as the sun's arc changes through the year. You can get an app for your phone call 'Lumos' that lets you stand in a certain position wave the camera around and see the sun position/ trajectory on the screen any given date
8am-8pm start drilling holes in the wall for shelves or the like. Intermittently for the next fortnight.
If it's within the rules I guess there is nothing I can do however if not I'll be approaching council. No issues with a breakdown of neighbourly relationships, I always say hello but beyond that there is nothing to break down.
Report it anyway. If it's fine, all anyone has lost is a bit of the council's time. It's not your job to judge, it's theirs.
get yerself over to
Had a look..
'Compoface isa British slang term describing the exaggerated, glum, or mildly annoyed expression people pose with in local newspaper photos when complaining about trivial issues to secure financial compensation(compo). It frequently features crossed arms, pointing at the inconvenience, or a "hard done to" look.
I'd never heard of the expression, but firstly, having your house devalued isn't a trivial thing. And secondly noone has mentioned financial compensation...
But thanks for posting..😉
People only behave badly to others if they are allowed to.
I'd never heard of the expression, but firstly, having your house devalued isn't a trivial thing. And secondly noone has mentioned financial compensation...
dont be so defeatist! You pointing at the outhouse looking sad would fit right in. Bonus points if the neighbour is taking a swing in the frame too
having your house devalued isn't a trivial thing
The value is only an issue if you are planning to sell the house I suppose. The impact really is in your enjoyment of your home, you don't need to concern yourself with the value someone who doesn't live in your home might place on it.
On the upside its one more golfer cooped up is a dark little shed which makes one less golfer you, or any of the rest of us, need to worry about encountering in the wild 🙂
As you say your neighbour seems to have built right up to the limits of the rules - the whole permitted development thing re sheds is a bit mad in terms of the scale it sanctions which is really pretty large in the context of a lot of modern housing, or more particularly the space around most modern houses. It seems more like the rules are configured to unburden local authorities than be of help to households - the scale and proximity it permits seems like a recipe for neighbour conflict.
Given how he's built right to limits he only needs to have made small oversights to have exceeded the rules - and also keep in mind there are planning rules and building standards rules - and a size / spec of building can pass one and fall foul of the other. The overall footprint (15sqm iirc) rather than the height and be a threshold for some rules, having power in the shed might be one aspect as it can add additional requirements for the fabric of the building and so on may be areas where a mark has been overstepped maybe
Local Authority Town Planner here...
Check the planning portal ( https://www.planningportal.co.uk/) to see whether it falls within 'permitted development' (ie development which does not require planning permission). This is also set out in the General Permitted Development Order if you're feeling nerdy. Also check with the Local Planning Authority whether said permitted development rights have been removed from the property.
If you consider that planning permission is required, or are unsure, then you should report it to your Local Planning Authority. They should visit the site and assess whether planning permission is needed. If it is not, then unfortunately for you that is the end of it in planning terms (albeit you could see whether there are any covenants on the property which prevent outbuildings being erected but this is outside the planning system). If planning permission is required then usually the Local Planning Authority will either a) invite a planning application if they think the development is acceptable (ie it is likely that the development would be approved) or, b) commence enforcement action with a view to either removing the structure or making changes to make it acceptable.
Your best bet is to give the LPA a call on Monday morning but please remember that this may take some time to resolve as LPAs (and indeed the rest of Councils) are overstretched thanks to years of government cuts, this is not something that will be remedied overnight and I would be looking at a few months.
With regard to your property value, this isn't something the planning system can take into account.
Sorry if this isn't the answer you were looking for but I'd like to think its somewhat realistic.
A neighbour of mine has done stuff like this. Massive breeze block 'wendy house' at the end of the garden - he had some of the older (late teens) kids living in there - it was a dwelling. Extension to the side, but floor one goes over land owned by a a block of flats (ground floor has access to the rear, but the upper floor goes over the boundary. Extension to the rear also. He also has two sheds on his front drive (in front of the property line), and a wood burner with no planning/buildings (we're in a clean air zone). Fortunately, he's on the other side of the road so I can's seen the back.
It's way bigger than 15 sq/m! But I don't think there is a limit to size in scotland, other than has to be less than 50% of the garden.
The impact really is in your enjoyment of your home, you don't need to concern yourself with the value someone who doesn't live in your home might place on it.
Kind of agree but the 2 are linked. Ie if it spoils the enjoyment of my home, ie blocks sun from my patio, means no sun ever hits the grass so it never dries out etc then that's clearly something others will factor in when buying the house
Or at least I would pick up on that.
the thing that probably pisses me off most is that he didn't even ask if I'd be OK with it. He technically didn't need to, but I think most people would have. It's not like we have ongoing beef or anything, I've always been pleasant to his family, dropped of birthday gifts to his kid etc.
50% of the garden.
50% of the footprint of the house I believe. And that 50% includes all outbuildings...so if he already has another shed.....
Edit - think I'm wrong for Scotland....50% footprint house in England but garden in Scotland...I think.
he didn't even ask if I'd be OK with it.
And if he had and you'd said no but he really really wanted a shed to whack off his club in but his other half said it had to be there out of her way? She was always going to win that one sadly.
My understanding is the 50% thing is that no more than 50% of the land around the original house (as built or as it stood in 1948, whichever is older) should be covered by outbuildings or extensions to the house AFAIK.
https://share.google/ttFaS9pM78fSMKx2Q
But again, this is the UK set of rules.
Up to 30sqm can still be Perm. Dev.
As alluded to here, there are the legal issues and the moral issues. Unfortunately, it seems this likely falls foul of the latter, but not the former.
It's easy for me to say, but it seems like the only real solution is to sit down, think about accepting that this is how it is now, and objectively look at how much of an issue it will actually be for you. If it is significant, then, shit as it sounds, then I'd be staying to think about moving. Staying and fighting this, even if they're it's a chance you will 'win', is only going to end up one way - with shitty neighbourly relations, and that would be enough for me to not want to live there any more.
It's way bigger than 15 sq/m! But I don't think there is a limit to size in scotland, other than has to be less than 50% of the garden.
bigger than 15sqm can be within permitted planning but still require building regs approval, and building regs for electrics too
But - unless things are flagrantly outwith any rules the most you can expect is some modest modification of whats there - its clearly been built with an awareness of the rules so any ways in which it goes beyond then will be solvable with some modest changes or retrospective permission. Theres not an outcome where the bulldozers will get called in.
Leylandii, or bamboo - our neighbour has both on our border (🤬)
Sorry to read about this TP.
It's easy to be dismissive of things like this but having been through something visually similar a few years back I do sympathise. It really got to me to be honest.
How did you get on with this neighbour before he put the shed up? That's just curiosity, it's a dick move to have put the thing up without even having a conversation with you imo.
Some good answers, including from a town planner! I agree there's probably not much I can do about it.
I guess some people are just oblivious to how other people's actions affect others, or more than likely don't care. Not going to move out because of it obviously, not the end of the world, but I foresee myself not being as considerate to him and his family as I have been in the past 5 years
I guess some people are just oblivious to how other people's actions affect others, or more than likely don't care.
TP, I know it doesn't help matters but if you want a truly nightmare scenario, check tihs beauty out on our road...
Someone got planning permission (God only knows how!) to build a proper Grand Designs job, built into the hillside. They felled a lot of big trees, got the diggers in, cleared the hillside and dug this enormous hole, then... nothing for 6 months. Then they started work again, and made the enormous hole even bigger. Then the sides of the hole started to collapse and United Utliities slapped a cease and desist order on them as the water and sewerage systems were shifting and being cut off to surrounding houses as the hillside slid downwards to fill the massive unsupported hole. Left like this for months now, the gardens of the surrounding properties have all been gradually dissapearing into what is now known by us all as 'The Pit'.
Nobody seems to be able to find out whats happening with it. The council can't get answers out of the owners. The people around it are fearing structural damage to their properties. I walk past it every day and marvel at both the stupidity and the truly inconsiderate nature of some people. Just look at the state of it! Its been like this for over a year! 🙄
Quick thought, is it the walls that are 1m from the boundary, or the roof overhang? Those log cabin things often have a generous overhang to keep wet off the wood walls.
Put an Iranian flag on the roof of it and tweet to the orange baby?
we need pictures
There's a few comments on how this blokes supposed to have a conversation... which goes - 'hello, I'm going to put up an absolutely legal outbuilding in my garden to enjoy my own hobby on my own land.'
What are you supposed to say to that? What do you offer in return because I don't see how he gains from not building this
Check your deeds (and his online for £7) estates often have restrictive covenants that may prevent this sort of thing. Cheaper via the planners (and report to building control) but might add ammunition with a letter from a solicitor on top of a visit from planning.
There os one simple answer and it was mentioned above. You query it with the council they decide if its permetted development AND if it is they still need to have undergone a building consent process and it must be constructed in accordance with building control.
Thats all you do. Let them decide if there are issues don't decide yourself that its probably fine and its not worth reporting.
Chances are he's that much of a **** to not discuss he's probably taken liberties all over the shop.
Get your phone call in tomorrow and see where it goes.
And if its a bust... Drum room.
There's a few comments on how this blokes supposed to have a conversation... which goes - 'hello, I'm going to put up an absolutely legal outbuilding in my garden to enjoy my own hobby on my own land.'
What are you supposed to say to that? What do you offer in return because I don't see how he gains from not building this
For sure. But most people make a point of not pissing off their neighbours no? Or at least I do.
Can he legally do it, for sure he can. Likewise there's lots of things I can do that i don't because I take into consideration not putting out my neighbours
But ultimately there isn't alot I can do if it's legal. As long he's happy to not have any neighbourly relationship then that's up to him.
And if its a bust... Drum room
Don't play the drums..
But I just hope he isn't expecting me to keep the window closed in future when I'm hammering out bad ac/dc riffs through my huge marshall amp as he and his family are relaxing in the garden! If the OH's feedback is anything to go by, listening to me murder Angus young solos for hrs at a time gets tiring pretty quickly🤣
As long he's happy to not have any neighbourly relationship then that's up to him.
By your own admission you have no "relationship" with him besides saying hello
My neighbours have just put a trampoline in their garden for the kids. I hate kids. I hate loud kids even more. But it's their garden and they're perfectly entitled to stick a trampoline in there
we need pictures
With the obligatory 'compoface' as previously discussed FTW
when I'm hammering out bad ac/dc riffs through my huge marshall amp
I think that may clarify things actually.
*Begin search on Bunkered forum for 'How to deal with noisy neighbour playing guitar badly' ..
Begin search on Bunkered forum for 'How to deal with noisy neighbour playing guitar badly' ..
Well given I always ensure my windows are well shut and it can't be heard outside such a thread won't be found about me..for now!
My neighbours have just put a trampoline in their garden for the kids. I hate kids. I hate loud kids even more. But it's their garden and they're perfectly entitled to stick a trampoline in there
Mine too, different neighbours. It overlooks my 6 foot fence, is absolutely massive, and the kids are noisy AF. It doesn't bother me in the slightest.
By your own admission you have no "relationship" with him besides saying hello
I have a fairly standard neighbourly relationship, I'm polite and make every effort to go out my way to not piss them off even if it inconveniences me. Like most neighbours I've had tbh. I assumed that's what folks did when living in a close knit community.