Keyser Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I thought would build a nice new garage in my front garden as when we refurbished the house the existing integral single garage was turned into a workshop - it was too small anyway you could drive a car in but not actually open the doors when inside! (and I have projects to be getting along with) So I sorted out someone to do a nice concrete base and last weekend started on the framework - all wood so it will be unobtrusive and look nice - this was built in front of the house slightly to the right. when we had a mock up of the roof line I went round all my neighbours to ask if they had any problems if it blocked the light etc All were happy no objections and most thought it improved the front of our property. Anyway Wednesday night one of my neighbours pops round to air his 2 concerns - Here we go - 1. He is worried about all the noise I will be making when I build my garage and start working on all my cars! 2. He is worried that "If" a complaint is raised that I may be made to take it down as I have not applied for planning. He also told me that he has no problem with it and if a complaint is raised it will definitely not be him that raises it! Hmmmmmm............ So I explain that I am not starting a business doing up cars and he has never complained about the work I have done on my driveway on my cars to date - Concern one dealt with. We then go onto discuss planning permission- a garage constructed of wood that is less than 30 Sq Meters is exempt building regs and does not require planning permission. He tells me that what you make it out does not matter and you need planning to do anything BUT he was only concerned for me he will definitely and categorically not be raising a complaint! I took this to mean a complaint was about to be raised so although I have read and to the best of my knowledge am inside the amended 2008 Planning act guidelines I had better go down the council offices and double check! All the above so I could do this........................ OMG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How complicated??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It took 3 of them 2 hours to explain all the regs to me!!! my favourite line was "There is no such thing as a building line anymore" I think that was deleted in the 2011 revision whatever of planning regs!!! The upshot is that a wooden garage less than 30 Sq Meters is exempt building regs and does not require planning permission UNLESS you build it in front of your house (it used to be the building line I think ) I live on the corner of a private road so "in front" of my house is in line with my neighbours back garden. So I have to apply to retrospective planning permission(which they all agree "should" be no problem even if someone complains as they must justify the complaint and the garage is not obtrusive or overshadowing anyone. ( I took photos down as I had alreay built half of it) It gets better though I can have 2 x 15 Sq M single garages side by side (with planning) but as I want 1 x 30 Sq M double garage - I have to move it or make it out of no flammable material (corrugated iron YUKK) apparently 2 garages do not pose a fire risk but 1 does ????!!!!!!!!!! Then after attempting to do an online planning app last night I gave up as I could not work out which of the 17 certs and docs I was supposed to fill in with my app so I went down the planning office again today and the Planning Officer said "Hang on I'll get my notes I it's always hard to know which ones go with what application" No wonder people complain about this stuff! Anyway they were great down the planning office very helpful (I'd never have done it without them and the building regs guy gave me loads of advice) so I got my app in but If they have to look it up what chance have we got?!! OK Rant over feel so much better having got that out in the open ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. So just got to take the base plate up move it 28cm further away from the neighbours wall and back to building then in 8 week I'll know whether I have to take it down or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Don't let the Health & Safety Gestapo know what you're up to for goodness sake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter10 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 A friend had the same sort of issue, he built a home gym and his neighbours complained (even though they said they wouldn't) that he didn't get permission to do so. The council investigated it and said it wasn't an issue. On the funny side of it though, whilst taking the complaint and meeting his neighbour, they discovered they had a wood/coal burning fireplace and told them they would have to remove it as it breaks their environmental clean air policy , they had just spent £7k on getting it installed too . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I would have recommended professional advice at the outset ........ either that or a trip to Planning and Building Control to discuss ....... Planning law is quite complicated and it's not easy to keep up to date with Building Regs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 Don't let the Health & Safety Gestapo know what you're up to for goodness sake Its OK I rented a scaffolding tower - I know that won't save me Shhhhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Don't let the Health & Safety Gestapo know what you're up to for goodness sake Its OK I rented a scaffolding tower - I know that won't save me Shhhhh HSE do not require F10 notification for work to domestic properties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chippychip123 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 That sucks mate. I think the nieghbours deserve a nice smokey rolling burnout from the Zed, just to upset them (only joking by the way) I belive we have used a cement based board on houses with fire regs and being too close to boundaries before. And to be honest when painted up well it doest look far off wheather boarding would. It would get you over that part of you problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 I would have recommended professional advice at the outset ........ either that or a trip to Planning and Building Control to discuss ....... Planning law is quite complicated and it's not easy to keep up to date with Building Regs I didn't mention it but 3 seperate builders/wooden building suppliers who quoted for the work all said - Won't need planning as it less than 30m and behind the (non exsistant) building line. Hind sight is wonderful - but if I had realised how helpful the planing office was going to be I would have tipped my hat to them first! We live and learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 instead of taking the whole base up (i'm guessing its concrete) can;t you just add the extra 30 cm to one side and slide the frame down. basically leaving you with a small lip at one side i'm doing a drive way, and it was only through research that i've managed to avoid planning permission. basically i am building a semi permeable surface so no need to drain surface water, so i don't need planning. as for your neighbour; that tells me, he may not be complaining, but he's chatted to other neighbours, and someone else is, but he doesnt want to say who. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I would have recommended professional advice at the outset ........ either that or a trip to Planning and Building Control to discuss ....... Planning law is quite complicated and it's not easy to keep up to date with Building Regs I didn't mention it but 3 seperate builders/wooden building suppliers who quoted for the work all said - Won't need planning as it less than 30m and behind the (non exsistant) building line. Hind sight is wonderful - but if I had realised how helpful the planing office was going to be I would have tipped my hat to them first! We live and learn. I am happy to advise any member in respect of Planning and Building regs by PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I'd watch that neighbours outgoing mail.... What an extra pain in the h*le for you mate, looks like you got to it just in time though before you'd get bitten by a complaint. I'd suggest you read up on ASBO regulations too Just in case someone will try and go after you for noise pollution! (Fixing the cars up) (maybe not spread junk around the outside would be good idea too, sounds like you might be up against something there. All the best with the build! Sounds like it's flying up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 My sheds looking pretty sweet now isn't it Keyser Don't let the bastards grind you down mate - I'd have gone 'Falling Down' by the first visit to the Planning Office to be honest so your doing really well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 This might help the understanding: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permis ... buildings/ Click on the mini-guide for visual guidance. It is important not to get confused between what needs permission under Building Regulations and what needs Town Planning permission, they are two quite seperate forms of legislative control. Planning officers and Building Control officers rarely share information (even though they may work in the same offices) and often for the layperson it is not always clear which section they dealing with! If planning permission is required that is where the greatest difficulty lies as the decisons are subjectively based. Under Building Regulations you could theoretically build an office block in your garden as long as it complies with building standards set by the Regulations. Don't believe a word what neighbours might say. In these cases they will often say one thing to your face and another to the Council. As I am a professional Planning Consultant if you want some further guidance, pm me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 Thanks for the comments guys ATTAK Z - I know HSE are not going to be troubling me, Thanks for the tips if I'd known before your PM's would have been glowing. chippychip123 - Thanks someone else suggested the cement based board but rendered and painted - good tip but really want wood it will go well with the aesthetics (that's what the wife said ) rt b - its only the base plate or the sole plate - the first bit of wood screwed to the floor that everything else sits on top of, so it's not that much of a problem and the base was oversized anyway. (Thought I was safe on Planning andlid - Junk that 300ZX is a classic I'll have you know!!! Ricey - Ya smug git I haven't seen any pictures of this alleged shed have you built it yet? Love the idea of you doing a Michael Douglas in the planning office ---------------------------------------- As for my neighbour, He may have well been genuinely concerned for me! I also appreciate his concern over noise etc. His wife is not well and he moved here for peace and quite - Then I move in with an SC Zed a 260Z for rebuild and a 300ZX to be stripped, then my other neighbour goes out and buys a Busa!! I live on a private road of only 11 houses and we seem to get on well with all of them Christmas cards all round etc I dropped the roof pitch 5 degrees so it looked nicer from his side and the last thing I want is to upset anyone. I would rather he told me if he was upset rather than just live with it! Either way he did me a favour as I will now have everything officially done (even if I have to appeal) and had something been said later I would have been in breach due to the distance from boundary so probably all for the best. My frustration is with the amount of red tape and different regulations etc etc I'm sure they are justifiable and partly in place to stop someone just plonking a shed in front of you house but some are very hard to fathom like 2 x 15 Sq M garages side by side would have different regulations to 1 x 30 Sq M garage? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- How about some pictures as I'm bored and the chats still shut Front of my house The garage plot and the mini digger I hired to level it How far I got last weekend - Gotta take it down and move it a bit now though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 i can see how he would say it makes the front more attractive you live in a quarry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 nice looking house! nice looking Zs junk the 300z won't look 'nicer' after you're done with it is it? Just saying don't leave a shell sitting on blocks in the garden Get two lifts, and get a sign stuck up stating 'Service your car for lezz, Z's 20% discount' then arrange a Z mod weekend on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Ebized said Don't believe a word what neighbours might say. In these cases they will often say one thing to your face and another to the Council. On one job we had a women nice as pie to our faces, asking how it was coming along and saying it was looking good only to find out she had written twenty seven letters of complaint!!! The wonderful thing now is that you can view all their letters online if it is a planning application. To be honest, from my experience letters of complaint from neighbours carry very little weight with planners so don't worry. Just keep up a dialogue with Planning, they are normally quite helpful. They need all the fees they can get these days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Andlid said Get two lifts, and get a sign stuck up stating 'Service your car for lezz, Z's 20% discount' then arrange a Z mod weekend on here Or just put in a planning application for a hostel for single mothers, drug addicts, homeless teenagers and people on parole. They will be begging you to build a lovely double garage instead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Andlid saidGet two lifts, and get a sign stuck up stating 'Service your car for lezz, Z's 20% discount' then arrange a Z mod weekend on here Or just put in a planning application for a hostel for single mothers, drug addicts, homeless teenagers and people on parole. They will be begging you to build a lovely double garage instead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Ebized saidDon't believe a word what neighbours might say. In these cases they will often say one thing to your face and another to the Council. On one job we had a women nice as pie to our faces, asking how it was coming along and saying it was looking good only to find out she had written twenty seven letters of complaint!!! The wonderful thing now is that you can view all their letters online if it is a planning application. To be honest, from my experience letters of complaint from neighbours carry very little weight with planners so don't worry. Just keep up a dialogue with Planning, they are normally quite helpful. They need all the fees they can get these days! But if the neighbours complain to the Council as there is no planning application they have a duty to keep such complaints confidential. And I do find (and know from many a previous experience) that complainants will often involve Councillors and sometimes MPs and whilst a dialogue with the Planners is normally desirable don't assume a friendly politeness means a planning permission is on the cards. First thing is to establish with householder extensions and outbuildings etc, is to see if it can be built without planning permission - always the best option if possible and hence the link in my previous post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterfield Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Weve recent applied for planning permission, and knowing the neighbours have been contacted I went round and asked the one towards which the house is proposed to be extended if they want to come round and see where its planned to go. The council dont send them copies of plans with the letter - so unless they get to see exactly whats planned, they may be put off. I got the architects plans out and let her have a look at what was planned, then walked round outside showing her exactly where it would go - she has quite a small garden, but it has a massive tree in it. the canopy covers her entire garden and almost half of the house next doors. Some existing trees on our plot (self planted and without preservations) which restric light even further from her garden, would be coming out as part of our plans - so she seemed quite happy with that. Im sure the council will find something wrong though and find a reason to reject it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Good ol` neighbours eh! I build a similar garage / workshop / conference centre at my old house, it was about 36ft square. You could easily get 3 cars in it anyway! Did same sort of constuction as you have. Re-enforced concrete base, then timber framed with inside skin and outside cladding. I kept the roof with a low pitch like yours to keep it low. Luckily for me, the neighbours son on one side helped me build it, so they couldnt complain, and the old pensioners the other side didnt care less what I did. The only complaint I had was from some old biddy 2 doors away who thought I was building a conference centre and she was worried about the parking for all the business visitors.... wtf! Having a decent shed like that tho is brilliant. I used to keep my gym in it, a project car and 3 motorbikes. Id still have enough room to drive another car in and work on it in comfort. I was planning to get a 4 post ramp, which is why i had the floor re-enforced, but never got around to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Andlid saidGet two lifts, and get a sign stuck up stating 'Service your car for lezz, Z's 20% discount' then arrange a Z mod weekend on here Or just put in a planning application for a hostel for single mothers, drug addicts, homeless teenagers and people on parole. They will be begging you to build a lovely double garage instead! Thats the way ahead Funny how many folks on here and I've spoken with over the past couple of days have had similar experiences with building planning neighbours etc! O well could be worse it could be raining errrr !!!!! Husky - I do live in a quarry or at least I'm told it used to be a gravel pit in the past at some point! At least the support and comments on here made me smile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilp Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 is it yourself that works for ves? we use some of your stuff in our sites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 is it yourself that works for ves? we use some of your stuff in our sites. Not me that is actually the Neighbour on the left hand side of my house (the one that just SOLD his Busa ) but he has a small drive so always leaves his van there just to confuse everyone out of 11 houses only one has 1 car 3 have 2 cars all the rest have 3 or more quite mad here - I fit right in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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