Post and beam Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 First of all i apologise if this is not in the correct area, please move it if required. I have an opportunity to build a house on a reasonably large plot set back from the road by 80'. The left 1/3 of the proposed house( looking from the road) would be obscured by a row of single storey and reather unsightly garages. My question is... If i buid the house what protection do i have, if any, that the local authority wont knock down the garages and build their required 15 'affordable homes' in the village. They would be <40' window to window square on to me if this happened. I believe this is too close and that i am worrying over nothing. However, in the town where i live which is Stevenage there have been recent flats built in the town centre above shops that face each other little more than this distance apart and looking directly at each other. It appears these kinds of privacy concerns are irrelevant when local authorities are involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 This would be a Planning policy issue not a Building Regulations issue. See page 35.. "Privacy and scale" and the table.. https://democracy.stevenage.gov.uk/documents/s28817/Design%20Guidance%202021.pdf I note its a draft policy document so might change. It suggests 20-25m is the minimum back to back separation recommended. However planning inspectors are allowed to bend/break rules if the benefits outway the harm. This is how wind farms get built close to houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post and beam Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 Thank you for that. 20 metres would be really bad as far as i am concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSS Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 Our LA required a minimum of 22 metres separation on upstairs facing windows between our new build and an existing property on adjacent plot. And yet the same LA has permitted national house builders to erect new builds in the same Borough with upstairs facing windows less than 9 metres apart. Go figure 🤔 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 All depends on your council planning . Mine want “ as near “ to 21m distance. Whilst clearly this flexible rule is violated massively on those lovely flats they cram into city centres . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 (edited) 16 minutes ago, pocster said: All depends on your council planning . Mine want “ as near “ to 21m distance. Whilst clearly this flexible rule is violated massively on those lovely flats they cram into city centres . And all the “beautiful country setting detached homes” being thrown up on chicken hut estates around here. Detached and a slim person cannot squeeze between the 🤪 plus narrow roads and parking spaces that only smart cars fit into. Guy I know has a mini and that hangs over the pavement with bumper touching his down pipe Edited April 14, 2022 by markc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, markc said: And all the “beautiful country setting detached homes” being thrown up on chicken hut estates around here. Detached and a slim person cannot squeeze between the 🤪 plus narrow roads and parking spaces that only smart cars fit into. Guy I know has a mini and that hangs over the pavement with bumper touching his down pipe Yep . Seen detached and yet I’d struggle to walk down it . Best one was my brother many years ago bought a new build with a garage . He had an average size car . It would fit in the garage but you couldn’t open the doors to get out!. Absolute joke these ‘ developers’ . Yet try and do a single self build and all those ‘ignored’ rules are suddenly applied and enforced . Edited April 14, 2022 by pocster 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post and beam Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 The plot i have potential on is generous but has laid empty for 100 years. I know that the local authority plan for the village requires 15 affordable homes. My worry is that wait until i build a house and then throw something up and destroy the value of what i have. They know full well that nobody will build on this plot if flats already existed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 (edited) Happens often, you can only minimise the potential impact by careful design, orientation and position of your build on your plot. Don’t put big windows etc. Looking towards what could be a close development. Edited April 14, 2022 by markc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 I always deliberately find examples where the council have broke their own rules . “ must confirm to SUDS “ , “ must be near to 21m distance “ , “ must provide bike storage “ etc. etc. ( it’s a long list ) . At planning I then show them these violations which they approved . I call this game “ knob the donkey “ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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