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Neighbour objection - letters


Albert63

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We have applied for planning permission to extend our bungalow turning it into a chalet style, whilst increasing the footprint on the ground floor.

 

One of our neighbours has posted an objection with the council, which I have no problem with, I think that the issues they have we covered in our plans.

 

However, they have posted letters to all of our other neighbours, with a copy of their objection and asking "Should you have any thoughts or comments to add weight to our objection, you can view the plans and comments online".

 

Are they allowed to do this? Should I mention it to the planning officer/parish council etc...

 

Thanks in advance

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1 minute ago, Albert63 said:

Are they allowed to do this?

I don’t know but don’t see why they can’t. Remember any objections have to stand the test of regulations, not just “I don’t like it”. We had a neighbour that objected to everything I did but none of them were applicable and we built what we wanted (eventually).

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A friend mentioned that they don't think they are allowed to encourage someone to make an objection. Their use of language would be a grey area in that context anyway. I haven't been able to find anything online to suggest they can or can't do it.

 

We didn't no, they have been aggressive towards my partner in the past and also to our elderly neighbour (unrelated incidents), so didn't feel that we could have the conversation with them.

 

I think we are ok in terms of their objects, potentially the only one being that they think it's out of character with the area, but i think thats subjective anyway. 

It will be taller, but should look similar to what it does now, plus we are on a road of houses and bungalows so there is a bit of a mishmash there anyway.

 

Guess I was hoping to have an ace up my sleeve so to speak.

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39 minutes ago, Albert63 said:

Are they allowed to do this?

 

 

Edit: I misread the original post and thought the council contacted neighbours to promote an objection.

 

In my part of the world Planning directly notify the nearest neighbours at the start of the planning review process. They also allow limited interactive dialogue via the comments, in one case they allowed the applicant to make a public interim response as a neighbour comment mid way through the public consultation period.

 

Sounds like a procedural error by a junior planner in your case, they are working from home at the moment so less close supervision I guess. I would demand that the council issue a follow up letter explaining their previous letter should not be taken as their endorsement of the validity of the objection.

Edited by epsilonGreedy
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2 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said:

 

Sounds like a procedural error 

 

Sorry, my confusion there. 

 

The council informed everyone of the matter in form of letter.

The neighbour who objected, printed a copy of his objections (that he sent to the council) and hand delivered them to all of our neighbours asking for thoughts or comments to add weight to their objections.

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Just now, Albert63 said:

 

Sorry, my confusion there. 

 

The council informed everyone of the matter in form of letter.

The neighbour who objected, printed a copy of his objections (that he sent to the council) and hand delivered them to all of our neighbours asking for thoughts or comments to add weight to their objections.

 

Oh I see. Not much you can do about organized local resistance. How about informing the council that this has happened and asking if you can respond in the form of your own comment.

 

In the case I am familiar with, the site plan labelled an upmarket man-cave as a "workshop". This provoked local objections about possible commercial engineering activity at a residential new build. 

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In my experience, people get objection fatigue, so if you are refused or apply for a modified scheme, the numbers of objections tend to dwindle.

 

On a recent site there were 3 applications within 6 months, all approved.  The first was from the previous owner and got 8 objections, then one from us got 12 objections, a second from us got 1 objection.

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3 hours ago, Albert63 said:

We have applied for planning permission to extend our bungalow turning it into a chalet style, whilst increasing the footprint on the ground floor.

 

One of our neighbours has posted an objection with the council, which I have no problem with, I think that the issues they have we covered in our plans.

 

However, they have posted letters to all of our other neighbours, with a copy of their objection and asking "Should you have any thoughts or comments to add weight to our objection, you can view the plans and comments online".

 

Are they allowed to do this? Should I mention it to the planning officer/parish council etc...

 

Thanks in ad

While there is nothing to stop them doing this With current planning laws All the objections will only delay the inevitable

 

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Yes they can.

 

Not really any different to gossip down the pub.

 

When I did my (bigger) one, there was a petition on the pub counter ?. With 300 signatures.

 

Try and think about it as an episode rather than something that will undermine relationships. My immediate neighbour at the time said "you know we have to", which I disagree with but understand - he was getting a pedestrian refuge in the middle of the road nearly level with his entrance.

 

It could even help improve the quality of your design !

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4 hours ago, Albert63 said:

We have applied for planning permission to extend our bungalow turning it into a chalet style, whilst increasing the footprint on the ground floor.

 

One of our neighbours has posted an objection with the council, which I have no problem with, I think that the issues they have we covered in our plans.

 

However, they have posted letters to all of our other neighbours, with a copy of their objection and asking "Should you have any thoughts or comments to add weight to our objection, you can view the plans and comments online".

 

Are they allowed to do this? Should I mention it to the planning officer/parish council etc...

 

Thanks in advance

 

Yes. Its called free speech.

 

If there was a proposal to build a factory or erect a 400ft wind turbine next door to your house you would want the right to campaign against it.

 

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Before we applied for PP I took my plans and artists impression drawings and knocked on all the neighbours doors to introduce myself and show them off. Also made visit to the head of the parish council who lived 10 houses down the road. 

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3 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

In my experience, people get objection fatigue, so if you are refused or apply for a modified scheme, the numbers of objections tend to dwindle.

 

On a recent site there were 3 applications within 6 months, all approved.  The first was from the previous owner and got 8 objections, then one from us got 12 objections, a second from us got 1 objection.

 

This is what happened with us - lots of objections for the first app (rejected) (including houses either side who we discussed plans with, fairly friendly with etc). Second (essentially same as first with minor tweaks) got a lot less and the third app (some changes made by us due to basement expansion) got zero.

 

The reasons the planners used to reject the first bore no correlation to the objections raised by community comments - were technical in nature and easy to address.

 

One neighbour who is a conveyancing solicitor wrote a ten page opus for which the planners needed to address each objection and acknowledge in their response. I suspect this irritates them somewhat and may be counter productive.

 

I let all the objections wash over me as everyone is entitled to air their opinion and ultimately the planners will decide  with defensible planning policy to which you can appeal.

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As others have mentioned, neighbours are free to do and say what they want. Whether their comments or objections are material considerations that would influence the final outcome is another thing.

 

As and when the Planning Officer comes to produce their report, they will list the number of representations along with a summary of those comments. So if a number of people have commented on similar issues, the PO will see that.

 

If a number of people have objected, this could cause you a few issues as it may then trigger the application to be heard and determined at Committee. Some Council’s adopt similar rules so you’d need to check with your LPA.

 

Or failing the above... one, two or a few neighbours may be friendly with a Local Councillor and would ask that it does go to Committee.

 

However and irrespective of the above, try and think positive. It’s Christmas, nearly ?

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I haven’t read all your post, life’s to short but I will add

with mine I contacted neighbours and asked for letters of support, there is nothing stopping you doing a counter manoeuvre and canvassing for support

 

get some nice copies of your plans done and invite anybody round who would like to look at your proposal. 

 

I dont know if it will hold any weight but worth a thought. 

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4 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

I haven’t read all your post, life’s to short but I will add

with mine I contacted neighbours and asked for letters of support, there is nothing stopping you doing a counter manoeuvre and canvassing for support

 

 

This would work in my village regardless of the merit of the planning application. There are so many schisms and cliques in the village some would support an application if members of another clique had made a critical submission.

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I’m sure I read somewhere about a neighbour objection and when asked why they said  they didn’t like the previous owners!
People are often bored and some have nothing better to do. In my case I visited all me immediate neighbours with a copy of the plans and talked them through what was proposed and none objected.

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10 hours ago, epsilonGreedy said:

...There are so many schisms and cliques in the village some would ...

 

Planning Officers have thick skins: have to have. 

Rollo's dad  (yes, Rollo of this Parish) - very large local land owner (and estate agent) took me aside one evening in the pub and said

 

"The biggest mistake almost everyone makes is to assume that they have rights over the land they can see, as well as the land they own" 

Its building use that matters, nothing else. 

 

And what of Rollo? Working as a builder's mate. Top lad. Starting at the bottom. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had similar problems when I applied for PP alongside my existing house.  One neighbour (we called him Mr NIMBY) assured us he would stop our PP in its tracks.  He knocked doors and got up a 39 signature petition to stop us.  Nine neighbours attended the LA planning meeting and five of them (including Mr NIMBY) spoke against our application, as did their 'pet' councillor.

 

The chairman of the comittee must have been sick of repeatedly saying, 'That is not a planning matter'.

 

The outcome was: one vote against and 27 supporting our planning application - so comfortably approved.

 

(NIMBY - Not In My Back yard)

 

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Our neighbour was more personal and nocked on all the houses on our street to get them to object.
Then they call family members who dont live on our street and asked them to also object.

Got rather silly to be honest and the planning officer said it was very petty.
He ignored them all as they were just 'i dont like' comments with no valid objection. We got ours approved

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