End of Terrace

[Anonymous]

The local authority has recently sold a plot of land adjacent to my end of terrace property. Work is about to commence to build 3, three bedroom houses. Can anyone advise me on my legal rights in terms of loss of privacy and the possible disturbance from my new neighbours?

 

[Anonymous]

Has planning permission been given? If so, did you make any objection to the buildings going ahead?

 

[Anonymous]

As Evelyn says did you know about a planning application? As a neighbour you should have been sent a letter and a public notice posted outside the area to be developed. If this has not happened and you have not had a chance to object I would consider that the local authority had acted wrongly. If so it would be doubtful the building could be stopped but some redress may be had.
Talk to the local planning office at the council and protest, they should be able to tell you of how proceed if you still feel you have been treated unfairly.
Whatever they say do put another post here, giving both sides of the dialogue so our opinions can be again added at that point.

 

[Anonymous]

With regard to loss of privacy - I'm afraid that there will be a minimum distance that planning will insist on between buildings which may overlook you, which isn't very much - fifteen metres I think in my local authority - and apart from issues such as possible restriction of light, unless you are in a Conservation Area and think the design of the proposed buildings do not 'enhance' the area, which is tricky, then there is in reality little that can be done to prevent building.

 

[Anonymous]

Interestingly, I live in a conservation area and a house was built next to mine (with a little lane in between) and I was not consulted. The local authority claimed they had sent two letters! I also did not see any notices which they claimed to have posted. It is really hard to prove that I did not receive these letters but I just have to accept that my objection would have been overlooked anyway. Sign of the times, we need more housing and local authorities grant permission on any small piece of land these days which is a shame no matter where it as long it is not in the green belt.

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

Assuming that all the appropriate planning consents and building control procedures have been followed (and as you say that the land was sold by the local authority for building, it's got to be pretty certain that they were) then I'm afraid you have precious little chance of making any kind of impact on the situation.

 

[Anonymous]

"we need more housing and local authorities grant permission on any small piece of land these days which is a shame no matter where it as long it is not in the green belt."

One mile from us there is a proposal for a Park and ride scheme, in green belt. It will be accompanied with 1500 houses in the first phase, along with some industrial units. Most of which is in Green Belt. This will then move on to another 3,000+ homes, not in Green Belt.

Apparently Park and Ride can be built in Green belt, and this is the leverage the builders are suing to get in, the Council are then apparently going to let them build the houses.

There isn't any offical government description of a park and ride, so ours is going to be one train an hour...... less trains than using any of the local stations which are only a couple of miles away.

It's called a park and ride scheme so it gets put through..........

I write to our planning dept every week, they have not replied to any of my queries in over 3 months. I wonder if my mail goes direct to the bin!!!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Try writing to the Ombudsman...

 

[Anonymous]

I thought they'd get fed up of me writing to them and eventually give me some answers.
I phoned the ODPM and asked for the definition of a park and ride, they told me there wasn't, it was up to each local authority to decide what criteria they set, and one of my questions is, what is the council's definition of a park and ride.

Still, what ombudsman should I speak to, one for local councils, planning???????

 

[Anonymous]

Local Authority Ombudsman.

Write first though to the Chief Executive of your local authority. State clearly that it is a complaint and that you wish it to be dealt with by the complaints procedure. State that you are complaining that correspondence from you has not been answered. Give dates copies etc of any letters and calls sent and made.

You can't complain about council policy (as long as it is democratically adopted and doesn't break the law or go against national policies) but you can complain that you are being ignored!