TAJ Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Some of you may remember the mega extensions the new owners put in for the house opposite us. This was my front garden before (August 2009) http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii49/TAJchicks/IMG_2546.jpg With the leaves on the tree you cannot see the long distant view, but in the winter we normally see the trees and up to the end of the hill in the distance. ...now? http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii49/TAJchicks/IMG_2576.jpg We have a skip, portaloo, all the building materials and builders seeing into our lounge all day! When it is completed we will not be able to see the trees and hill beyond and they intend gravelling over all of their front garden, so we even lose the grass aspect. In case you thought the view was better the otherway this is it: http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii49/TAJchicks/IMG_2578.jpg This may only be one window, but our downstairs is one long room - this is my only window! So after 2 months of living with this (plus spending a lot of time blocked in by their vans accross our driveway) we have ordered some willow screening to at least block out some of it at ground level. The build out the back is even worse for the house next door to them. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Crikey, what a shame. Did you fight the planning permission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Crikey, what a shame. Did you fight the planning permission? We did everything we could about the planning permission, as did most of the locals, even the parish council objected, but the planning officer made her 'approve' recommendation before the deadline for comments past and she even got the council solicitor to ban the local councillors from the planning committee, so they could not even put forward a few conditions. We could have taken the actions of the planning officer to an ombudsman, but even that would not have changed the outcome - once plannning permission has been given it cannot be withdrawn - even if the whole process is proved to be corrupt the best they can do is offer compensation. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Does the side of their house meet your front garden or is that a public pathway they have all the building stuff and digger on? Unfortunately, planners are a law unto themselves, and really do appear to have no regard for the plans they sometimes pass I objected to the building of a really large house in my grandparent's village within the North York Moors National Park. The property was built right next to an ancient tree which was recorded in the Domesday book, and on a boggy area my great grandfather used to keep pigs on, and of course the property is totally out of keeping with the smaller cottages in the village Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Does the side of their house meet your front garden or is that a public pathway they have all the building stuff and digger on? We are at the end of a cul-du-sac, so the front grass to the length of ours and their driveways are owned by us respectively - the middle strip (road width), including the oak tree with a tree preservation order on it are 'no mans land' and are still registered to the original builder of the estate in 1971. So the skip and half of those building materials are not on their land they are on an open space enjoyed by all in the road - they have even put 3 tonnes of scalpings over the whole area - including all the land that isn't theirs. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Hmmm lovely I'm so jealous. It's the portaloo that does it for me. We were in the same position with regard to planning battle several years ago - they were going to extend their back of the house next door. The measurements were incorrect and they would have extended beyond the line of our house - 2 storeys. We took photos and made diagrams and objected. Even had a councillor (parish) look into it for us, but all they said was "what a nice extension" so it went to Hart DC and was granted. Luckily for us our neighbours chose not to extend, and recently sent the reminder that if they wished to continue the time was about to expire (last year) - the letter was sent to the people the other side of them in our cul-de-sac. Don't know why they wanted to build - they are never there. Husband only comes back Saturday night and gone again on Sunday, wife leaves for work at 6.30am and away till 8.30 or later in the evening. One daughter lives away from home, leaving one daughter at uni. They never entertain, never have friends over visiting and don't have grandparents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Hmmm lovely I'm so jealous. It's the portaloo that does it for me. We were in the same position with regard to planning battle several years ago - they were going to extend their back of the house next door. The measurements were incorrect and they would have extended beyond the line of our house - 2 storeys. We took photos and made diagrams and objected. Even had a councillor (parish) look into it for us, but all they said was "what a nice extension" so it went to Hart DC and was granted. Luckily for us our neighbours chose not to extend, and recently sent the reminder that if they wished to continue the time was about to expire (last year) - the letter was sent to the people the other side of them in our cul-de-sac. Don't know why they wanted to build - they are never there. Husband only comes back Saturday night and gone again on Sunday, wife leaves for work at 6.30am and away till 8.30 or later in the evening. One daughter lives away from home, leaving one daughter at uni. They never entertain, never have friends over visiting and don't have grandparents. This is a retired couple extending the biggest house in the road from 4 to 5 bedrooms for the two of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Odd isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 It amazes me that people can be so out to antagonise their neighbours. I would rather live in a smaller house and be on friendly terms with my neighbours. I feel for you, it is bad enough for us that the people across the road have had a large willow tree taken down and now the dominating feature on the horizon from our back windows is GCHQ, it looks like a crouching alien space craft Our next door neighbour had his house extended from 3-5 bedrooms because he had extended family living with him, as soon as it was all finished they all moved out apart from his son. We too live in a cul-de-sac an the builders vans were a pain in the neck/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Our next door neighbour had his house extended from 3-5 bedrooms because he had extended family living with him, as soon as it was all finished they all moved out apart from his son. We too live in a cul-de-sac an the builders vans were a pain in the neck/ When she moved in she said they never wanted to move again - so I think we are stuck with them for a few years now. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Bad luck. I hope that they can only get better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Oh I do feel for you Taj, we had a similar thing where they built a huge house on a corner plot across the road from us, it ruined my view of the green & shops & we weren't even consulted Then we got new neighbours who got in cowboy builders to extend & alter their house before they moved in & we had noise and mess for 7days a week for over 3 months They even woke us up early at weekends And they left parts of our property in a mess with rubble etc but I didn't like to say anything as I didn't want to cause trouble with the new neighbours I know the builders were cowboys as the things they did were frightening to watch & they're back on a regular basis to patch things up, like the new roof they put on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 That's terrible Tracy, any chance of getting the planners to pay a visit to see the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 We have had builders in the house next to us (as well as opposite) since September and they still haven't moved in. They can work 7 days a week and early morning to late evening, but they are always polite, knock and apologise if we are blocked in, etc. Accross the road the builders just seem to think they have a god given right to do what they want. When some other locals complained to the builders about the mud all down the road the response was 'you lot around here do nothing but complain - if you've got a problem speak to the council' - so they did - the people having the work done do not realise the only reason they actually contacted the council was because her builders were rude and told them to contact the council! From here on I guess it can only get better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Oh I do think you need one of these Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 You are going to put some new strobing Christmas lights up at every window aren't you Keep taking the pics, they may prove useful at a later date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 You are going to put some new strobing Christmas lights up at every window aren't you Keep taking the pics, they may prove useful at a later date. We only have 3 strings of lights in the oak tree (white twickling), 4 singing/dancing santa's at ground level, a fibre optic sking snowman on the porch roof and a rope light white/blue star in a window - but that's just normally what we have every year and everyone can see them all down the road and other people have lights outside. I have ordered some willow screening to put up to hide the building site for Christmas and will put a row of lights on my side of that. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 I was so happy yesterday as my temporary willow screening and backing was put up - for the 1st time in two months I can sit in my lounge and not see a full building site, just a bit of scaffolding and top of the porta loo. I will take a photo later - it is such an improvement and no longer stressing me out everytime I am downstairs. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 So glad to hear it Tracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 One stressy thing down, just Christmas to get over and you'll be well away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 One stressy thing down, just Christmas to get over and you'll be well away! ...before Christmas I have 14 * 14/15yr olds over tonight for DD muder mystery birthday party (7 boys & 7 girls), with all the girls sleeping over - I don't need to wait until Christmas for stress. At least now it will not look as though we live on a building site - I have even put solar powered fairylights along the top of the new fence. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 At least now it will not look as though we live on a building site - I have even put solar powered fairylights along the top of the new fence. Tracy What a good idea! Sometimes all it takes is knowing you do have some control over your environment and you have proved it by altering your outlook to improve the view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Piccypiccypiccy TAJ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Sorry for the delay in the photos. So as a reminder this is what it did look like: http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii49/TAJchicks/IMG_2577.jpg And with my screening it now looks like this: http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii49/TAJchicks/IMG_2580.jpg I think it looks a lot better now. I have also noticed my cat seems to be sitting in the same position in the lounge in both photos - trust me he did move in the week between the two pictures! Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 That's much better Tracy, and must feel more private for you too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
