My neighbours young child likes to sit on the outhouse watching all of his world around him.
Fair enough?
He also likes to disturb the dog so that he barks and thus (being a loud land shark bark) disturbs all the others in their gardens, the dog of course wants to keep us safe and can't understand why he isn't allowed to eat this invader to his territory.
Child also likes to demand your attention, calling out to you no matter what you're doing, who else is in the garden. He then narrates what is going on, quite imaginatively to be honest but it does put an edge on your BBQS and social gatherings.
When he is bored you will find his toys in the garden; footballs usually they bounce well off the patio and make a fantastic splash in the pond. The dog can't understand why he is not allowed to destroy these new things.
If you are lucky Eva your neighbours child will be uninterested in you. If nothe please speak to your council and be prepared to ask your neighbours to respect your privacy.
Only 'nothing' when it doesn't affect you. A cousin of mine had a similar situation. Neighbours of hers said they were going to put 'a small shed' in the garden. That turned out to be a large summer house / studio, no more than 20 feet from her kitchen window, and angled so that they were looking straight into the window whenever it was in use. My cousin actually did put trellis up and planted to block all the sunlight from the summer house. Neighbours weren't amused, but tough.
I looked into the regs last summer as my neighbour thoughtlessly erected a kids wendy house/shed which was designed to be sited on the floor of their entirely paved 'garden' but he chose to put it up on a 5 foot high framework with a walkway all around, so most of it is above the fence line. The regs are that any structure, even wooden ones (they aren't lumped in with sheds as temporary structures), can't be higher than 30cm off the floor without planning permission. This is mainly to stop raised decking areas from overlooking others, but also applies to kids play houses. So you could let the council know with the hope they'd enforce the rules. We chose not to bother as we thought it'd be obvious it was us complaining and feared retaliation of some sort (they clearly aren't the reasonable sort based on their actions to date with this and other things), and the kids don't seem to use it. If they did start to peer into the garden I might reconsider.
As of April 2019 here is the law as it stands to a tall playhouse style climbing frame (eg. a small hut on stilts - with or without a slide or swings attached).
In providing this info, I make no personal view as to what's considered neighbourly, fair, or reasonable in relation to privacy or children's play, or whether someone is being OTT for complaining - here is simply what the latest law says, so you can make up your own mind if you wish to take it up further with your local council.
What the law says:
-Regardless of overall height, ANY raised platform structure above just 300mm / 30cm requires planning permission. This applies to decking, verandas, balconies and in this case tall playhouses with raised platforms.
-In addition, if the structure is taller than 2.5 metres AND closer than 2 metres to the boundary of the garden that it sits in, then it also requires planning permission.
-BUT If the structure is MORE than 2 metres (6.5 feet) away from a boundary of the property ,ANDNO MORE than 2.5 metres to the eaves of the roof AND 4 metres (13.1 feet) in total height to the top of a ridged roof (or 3 metres high if a flat roof) then IT IS PERMITTED without any planning needed. (Called a 'permitted development' in law)
(however even though this would be permitted, the raised platform regulation mentioned above would still stand - so if it has a raised platform above 30cm then it would still require planning permission, regardlessof overall height or location on the property)
-Tall Playhouse structures like this CANNOT be situated in front of the built property, (eg. in a front garden) regardless of how much garden space is at the front, without first getting planning permission.
-Regardless how these large stilted playhouses are advertised by suppliers, and regardless of whether they are built from wood or metal, they are typically NOT considered temporary structures either- despite often being advertised as such. (the definition of a temporary structures 'a building that is not intended to remain where it is erected for more than 28 days’.)
-And finally to note.
Planning Permission,(often confused with building regulations which is more about the actual mechanism of building a structure), exists to take into consideration the aesthetic effect of a new structure on the surrounding homes and neighbourhood.
So even if a children's playhouse like this falls foul of any of the 'permitted development' laws mentioned here, and technically does require planning permission, and the owner refuses to comply, then each council's decision on whether it is actually worth pursuing may differ. This is called 'Planners test of expediency'.
Basically a council will weigh up whether the cost of using the public purse to legally pursue an infringement of planning is worth it based on their local policies/politics/chances of winning the case, etc. And each council will view this differently on a case by case basis, and may or may not act.
In such case that a council refuses to take legal action to enforce a planning violation, then a complainant, or group of complainants, may wish to seek out any previously set precedent, such as another enforcement of planning consent for a similar structure in the same street or locality.
Again - I am not providing any opinion on the 'neighbourly rights and wrongs' of this issue - just the legal ones as they stand
You can buy old galvanised water tanks for very cheap - some of them are very large. You could drill holes for drainage and use them as planters and get some multi-stem birch trees growing. If you did that it would make sense to set up some kind of automatic irrigation for them.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Id agree @Eglantyne, and thats why the planning laws cover it. Getting the authorities involved can often lead to very sour and unpleasant relations though, so I would as a first option speak to the neighbour.
They may well just be totally ignorant as to how upset you are and more than willing to improve the situation. Maybe explain how whilst you dont want to spoil their childrens fun you really value your privacy in the garden and ask if they could block up the windows on the playhouse on your side or something, or shift it further away.
You always have the option of subtly mentioning that you were surprised it got planning permission. But a friendly approach is nearly always more successful than a confrontational one. Personally, even though they are in the wrong, Id pop round with a cake or bottle of wine or something and tell them how you feel and ask if there is any solution they can think of.
Getting any effective remedy also depends on the local authority actually being willing to enforce the regs. A work colleague had an issue with a house behind theirs where a conservatory had been built on the roof of a garage and overlooked their garden and the rooms at the rear of the house. The council ordered it to be removed and the householder totally ignored the order. The council then varied the order to require obscured glass on the aspect overlooking the neighbour. Once again the householder totally ignored the order. When my colleague got back on to the council they said they had done all they could and they weren't willing to go to court to get the order enforced!
Posts
My neighbours young child likes to sit on the outhouse watching all of his world around him.
Fair enough?
He also likes to disturb the dog so that he barks and thus (being a loud land shark bark) disturbs all the others in their gardens, the dog of course wants to keep us safe and can't understand why he isn't allowed to eat this invader to his territory.
Child also likes to demand your attention, calling out to you no matter what you're doing, who else is in the garden. He then narrates what is going on, quite imaginatively to be honest but it does put an edge on your BBQS and social gatherings.
When he is bored you will find his toys in the garden; footballs usually they bounce well off the patio and make a fantastic splash in the pond. The dog can't understand why he is not allowed to destroy these new things.
If you are lucky Eva your neighbours child will be uninterested in you. If nothe please speak to your council and be prepared to ask your neighbours to respect your privacy.
Only 'nothing' when it doesn't affect you. A cousin of mine had a similar situation. Neighbours of hers said they were going to put 'a small shed' in the garden. That turned out to be a large summer house / studio, no more than 20 feet from her kitchen window, and angled so that they were looking straight into the window whenever it was in use. My cousin actually did put trellis up and planted to block all the sunlight from the summer house. Neighbours weren't amused, but tough.
I looked into the regs last summer as my neighbour thoughtlessly erected a kids wendy house/shed which was designed to be sited on the floor of their entirely paved 'garden' but he chose to put it up on a 5 foot high framework with a walkway all around, so most of it is above the fence line. The regs are that any structure, even wooden ones (they aren't lumped in with sheds as temporary structures), can't be higher than 30cm off the floor without planning permission. This is mainly to stop raised decking areas from overlooking others, but also applies to kids play houses. So you could let the council know with the hope they'd enforce the rules. We chose not to bother as we thought it'd be obvious it was us complaining and feared retaliation of some sort (they clearly aren't the reasonable sort based on their actions to date with this and other things), and the kids don't seem to use it. If they did start to peer into the garden I might reconsider.
In providing this info, I make no personal view as to what's considered neighbourly, fair, or reasonable in relation to privacy or children's play, or whether someone is being OTT for complaining - here is simply what the latest law says, so you can make up your own mind if you wish to take it up further with your local council.
What the law says:
-Regardless of overall height, ANY raised platform structure above just 300mm / 30cm requires planning permission. This applies to decking, verandas, balconies and in this case tall playhouses with raised platforms.
-In addition, if the structure is taller than 2.5 metres AND closer than 2 metres to the boundary of the garden that it sits in, then it also requires planning permission.
-BUT If the structure is MORE than 2 metres (6.5 feet) away from a boundary of the property ,AND NO MORE than 2.5 metres to the eaves of the roof AND 4 metres (13.1 feet) in total height to the top of a ridged roof (or 3 metres high if a flat roof) then IT IS PERMITTED without any planning needed. (Called a 'permitted development' in law)
(however even though this would be permitted, the raised platform regulation mentioned above would still stand - so if it has a raised platform above 30cm then it would still require planning permission, regardless of overall height or location on the property)
-Tall Playhouse structures like this CANNOT be situated in front of the built property, (eg. in a front garden) regardless of how much garden space is at the front, without first getting planning permission.
-Regardless how these large stilted playhouses are advertised by suppliers, and regardless of whether they are built from wood or metal, they are typically NOT considered temporary structures either- despite often being advertised as such.
(the definition of a temporary structures 'a building that is not intended to remain where it is erected for more than 28 days’.)
-And finally to note.
Planning Permission, (often confused with building regulations which is more about the actual mechanism of building a structure), exists to take into consideration the aesthetic effect of a new structure on the surrounding homes and neighbourhood.
So even if a children's playhouse like this falls foul of any of the 'permitted development' laws mentioned here, and technically does require planning permission, and the owner refuses to comply, then each council's decision on whether it is actually worth pursuing may differ. This is called 'Planners test of expediency'.
Basically a council will weigh up whether the cost of using the public purse to legally pursue an infringement of planning is worth it based on their local policies/politics/chances of winning the case, etc. And each council will view this differently on a case by case basis, and may or may not act.
In such case that a council refuses to take legal action to enforce a planning violation, then a complainant, or group of complainants, may wish to seek out any previously set precedent, such as another enforcement of planning consent for a similar structure in the same street or locality.
Again - I am not providing any opinion on the 'neighbourly rights and wrongs' of this issue - just the legal ones as they stand
They may well just be totally ignorant as to how upset you are and more than willing to improve the situation. Maybe explain how whilst you dont want to spoil their childrens fun you really value your privacy in the garden and ask if they could block up the windows on the playhouse on your side or something, or shift it further away.
You always have the option of subtly mentioning that you were surprised it got planning permission. But a friendly approach is nearly always more successful than a confrontational one. Personally, even though they are in the wrong, Id pop round with a cake or bottle of wine or something and tell them how you feel and ask if there is any solution they can think of.
Failing that start doing some nude gardening!