Neighbour granted planning for extension, mysteriously, after being refused.

[Manxman in exile]

(PS - just noticed I've cross-posted with you... )

 

You need to do what @Ethel Street has suggested and check the history of this planning application.  (You should be able to do it online).  You need to confirm whether or not this development is in fact authorised.

 

If it isn't you need to get the council to order them to stop immediately.

 

If it is authorised you need to find out how this has happened without you being informed, and I'd try to get it put on hold.  A formal complaint to the council, and if you don't get a satisfactory outcome from following their complaints procedure, escalate the complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.

 

When you say your neighbour told you that her FiL had managed to get the original decision overturned by speaking to the head of planning, do you mean the council employee who heads the planning dept, or do you mean the elected councillor who is the chair of the planning committee?

 

You are not being oversensitive, but bear in mind this might well lead to a poor relationship in future with your neighbours, and might become a dispute that you have to declare when (or if) you sell your property.

 

(Our nextdoor neighbour-but-one replaced an old garden house and garage with a new structure.  Their building contractor was supposed to have organised planning consent (and told our neighbour that they had done so) but they hadn't and the new structures were unauthorised.  A planning official noticed it while making a site visit to another application (nobody had complained or tipped them off) and our neighbours had to apply for retrospective planning permission, but had to make significant changes to the new structures.  Cost them tens of thousands and their original contrcator had gone bust...)

 

 

[Manxman in exile]

2 hours ago, workaholic duck said:

... However, a few months ago, I was chatting with 'extension' neighbour.....children, gardens....idle friendly chat.....when she suddenly, gleefully, announced that they had been granted permission to extend. She went on to confess her father-in-law (the 'connected family' in the area) had been playing golf with the head of planning and was lamenting about the predicament of his son's family, being unable to extend, especially as they have a difficult time with their autistic daughter. Sympathy abounded. Within 1 week planning had been granted. All that swam around my head was cronyism, favouritism.... I was shocked. Ever since I have tried to avoid them. Yes, I am very principled! How can I ever UN-HEAR that confession??...

 

 

42 minutes ago, workaholic duck said:

...Both the council and the neighbours have completely ignored my presence up to this point and I had no idea works were starting.....until the scaffolding went up 2 days ago! ...

 

Sorry - not doubting you, but aren't those two statements inconsistent?  You had the conversation a few months ago but you had no idea works were starting until two days ago?

 

If I'd had that conversation with my neighbour a few months ago I'd have acted on it immediately to find out what the hell was going on.  Why wait until now?

 

 

[Edit:  Yes, as you appreciate and as @Ethel Streethas said, there's an awful lot of hot air, gossip, rumour  and outright lies surrounding planning applications, so you shouldn't place too much reliance on what you hear or on what a friend told a friend of a friend etc.  But sometimes it might be true]

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by Manxman in exile