Got planning permission with no objections - neighbour wont give access to her garden

Sounds to me like Battybee and the Lady would make very compatable neighbours.

ps. What's cash being introduced now for......if she did'nt want Jellybear's extension she should have put in a planning appeal. If she's someone (as likeminded as Battybee perhaps) looking to make a few quid from someone then let her step forward and say so.
 
Well, I was in with neighbour today - I was talking to her for about an hour altogether - at the beginning it was quite hostile - I offerred to ensure that our builder leaves her place really clean every evening and that I too would also call every evening to ensure that all was ok with her and if there was anything she considered untidy that I would do it for her.

I have also offerred to built a front wall (between two houses) at no cost to her - she can pick the choose the finish - one that is agreeable to both of us and also to take down her hedge (which is the current divide). I know that she is looking for a new front wall - another neighbour told me about this.

So all in all - I basically grovelled for one hour and offered the above as a kind of thank you if she allows us access.

Battyee - I cannot see how you could render and finish (including painting) any property in a semi-d without trespass - unless the neighbour gives permission. I have told her that anything damaged will either be repaired or replaced (her choice).

I honestly dont think that I can offer any more to the neighbour - she said that she will speak to her family and let me know -

So hopefully !!!!!
 
You might try offering her a written guarantee to keep her place clean, maybe from your architect? I've seen how messy and disrepectful of property some builders/plasterers are and I'd find it hard to believe anyone telling me my property wouldn't be affected by your proposal. Also, she may be nervous about strangers being in her garden. Does she have kids or live alone? These are all valid concerns I think regardless of her probably wanting to help out her nieghbours. The job she had done on her roof probably involved people being in your property a lot less than your work will involve. I'd say shes just genuinely worried about it all rather than trying to be awkward.
 
The neighbour in question is not living alone - she lives with her family who are all over 21 - she has also met with the builder on a number of occassions and the same builder actually did some work for a friend of hers recently.

Update - I have made more concessions - we are moving in the wall in total 12inches from its original position - I advised her of this today but she still wont budge on permission to plaster and paint wall.

My engineer has suggested we proceed using pre-finished blocks on her wall and to say that if she wants them plastered and painted to let us know before our work is finished.

She still was none too pleased - she has objections to our planning per. she told me so today but didnt do anything about it after viewing plans in council offices.

Dont think there is anything else for me to do now - the cash offer route is not an option in my opinion.
 
As a builder myself i come across these situations quiet regular some people are just very aukward by nature. There is only one remidy to this and it is IGNORANCE on your behalf. Get to know your neighbours routine where she goes and how long she goes for. Pick a good time ie her weekly trip to town and plaster wall in and out job done.
If when she comes back and askes how the wall was plastered tell her you used SKY HOOKS. Remember be as thick as she seems to be. if this is not an option leave the block wall bear and dry line the inside to prevent damp
 
why are you moving your wall 12'' inchs for her?she's doing you no favors.
as it stands now-you are able build what you need except that you can not plaster the wall overlooking her property?
seems to me thats she wants concessions.let her look apon the unplastered wall for a couple of years -that might change her tune.
 
Re: Got planning permission with no objections - neighbour wont give access to her ga

jjl said:
As a builder myself i come across these situations quiet regular some people are just very aukward by nature. There is only one remidy to this and it is IGNORANCE on your behalf. Get to know your neighbours routine where she goes and how long she goes for. Pick a good time ie her weekly trip to town and plaster wall in and out job done.
If when she comes back and askes how the wall was plastered tell her you used SKY HOOKS. Remember be as thick as she seems to be. if this is not an option leave the block wall bear and dry line the inside to prevent damp
Click to expand...
Dont know if "cop on" is available in liquid or tablet form
 
Re: Got planning permission with no objections - neighbour wont give access to her ga

Jellybear, I understand the position you are in as I have come accross it a couple of times in the past. As I see it you have a neighbour who is either a real bitch or is a bit sensitive and is miffed at what she sees as being taken for granted. Possibly a bit of both.

I think you have done all you can and unless your solicitor can come up with something or she agrees to the works you will have to pull the extension back a bit from the boundary.

It would be a pity for neighbours to have fallen out over this as there should always be a bit of give and take on both sides. One thing I did see that worked before was the person who was in your position pointed out to another person who was friendly with both parties the long term implications of the neighbour taking this stance - they would never be on speaking terms again, their families would also be falling out, the children/grandchildren would be kept apart and end up fighting with each other etc etc.

When this was all pointed out to the neighbour by the other person the neighbour conceded and allowed the works to go ahead. Im not saying this is what you should do but it did work in another instance.

Good luck with it in any event
 
Jellybear, as someone who has had dealings with builders, I can say that you have approached this problem in completely the wrong way. In the first place you really ought to have gone and spoken to your neighbour long before you applied for planning permission. You should have discussed with her in detail what it was you were planning to build and whether it was going to affect her in any way because of the closeness to her property.
What you have done here ( unless I have missed something ) is apply for planning, and I presume you put up a site notice, and got moving on the build without one bit of consideration for your neighbour. If you knew that you needed access to her property surely that was the first thing to secure before anything else.
I have had several instances where builders just bulldoze their way (excuse the pun ) without a thought for anyone but themselves. There is no prior discussion or warning of intending to build and sometimes you would need a magnifying glass to see the site notice or else it is stuck in a hedge where it can't be seen.
It's no wonder your neighbour has dug her heels in and is refusing to budge. Lessons can be learned here for the future. You make it sound now as if you are doing her a favour in building her a wall. Maybe she would prefer the hedge, as it probably gives her more privacy. It is you now that needs the favour, not her. If I were you I would go and apologise for not consulting her earlier and hope that she has a change of heart.
 
Re: Got planning permission with no objections - neighbour wont give access to her ga

Don't you think though that if she allows Jellybear to proceed and access her site, then she will always have a grudge against him, granted it might be lessened if hes very nice and considerate about it all. One person will always be unhappy. There must be so many neighbours who don't talk to each other because of this type of thing.

Accessing the site without her permission as suggested below would have insurance issues as well as being illegal.
 
Swallows, I think you are mistaken. Jellybear did approach his neighbour. She initially had no objection but changed her mind. As to the hedge, he said she wanted to get rid of it. If I recall it's to the front of the property, nowhere near the extension. Jellybear offered to have it removed and a wall built at his/her expense. This was done in an effort to make amends for any inconvenience his neighbour might suffer.
 
Re: Got planning permission with no objections - neighbour wont give access to her ga

liteweight said:
Jellybear did approach his neighbour. She initially had no objection but changed her mind.
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Yes, but he only approach AFTER the builder had approached her. I bet that this is why she is kicking up a fuss. She feels that she was taken for granted.
 
Re: Got planning permission with no objections - neighbour wont give access to her ga

RainyDay said:
Yes, but he only approach AFTER the builder had approached her. I bet that this is why she is kicking up a fuss. She feels that she was taken for granted.
Click to expand...

I think you're wrong there RainyDay. I know you posed this before and Jellybear replied that of course he had talked to her and she had no objections. It was only when the builder went in later that she had changed her mind. That's my reading on the first couple of posts anyway. Which ever it is, he's in a right pickle now!!
 
Your only options as I see it are to

1)Offer her something further in return - cash etc
2)Find alternative way to design the extention (really annoying I know)
3)If all else fails explain that you allowed access to your property before
4)Is there a provision in the planning laws that if a person refuses to object at the appropriate time but then acts in a manner which prevents this approved build go ahead that they are obstructing?
5)If that doesnt work explain that from now on no access will be granted under any circumstances except under emergencies to your property, cut off contact and wait for the day she applies for planning permission for anything and object for every and any reason.
 
jjl said:
if this is not an option leave the block wall bear and dry line the inside to prevent damp
Click to expand...

This will not work. Don't ever rely on a builder to specify damp proofing methods, talk to your architect.

There is no solution other than negotiation and consultation. There is nothing in planning laws that allows access to neighbouring properties under these circumstances. Living in a semi-D or terrace involves compromise, and the problem experienced by the OP is an example of what can happen.

Most people tend to be very wary of neighbouring extensions. I would never proceed with an application without getting the green light (preferably in written form) from any neighbours affected.

Your only option is to go back, negotiate, find a way.

Bear in mind too that if you move your wall in, you may require a new planning application.
 
jjl said:
As a builder myself i come across these situations quiet regular some people are just very aukward by nature. There is only one remidy to this and it is IGNORANCE on your behalf. Get to know your neighbours routine where she goes and how long she goes for. Pick a good time ie her weekly trip to town and plaster wall in and out job done.
If when she comes back and askes how the wall was plastered tell her you used SKY HOOKS. Remember be as thick as she seems to be. if this is not an option leave the block wall bear and dry line the inside to prevent damp
Click to expand...

Well said jjl, that is exactly the right approach. Build up the wall when she is out, but keep it very tidy as it is going up, no mortar droppings etc. In theory you can do all of this from your own side. Then proceed to finish your extension, which you have planning for. Then when she is not there hop in over the wall and plaster her side, it can be dog rough so can be done pretty quick, but what do you care.

Alternatively is it not possible to plaster the outside after every couple of rows of blocks, from your own side? Then your builder is not trespassing, just putting his hands over the wall, and there is not much she can do about it. Of course the finish will be dog rough but you will not be looking at it.

How many square yrds of plastering are you talking about?
 
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