Unexpected: planning sought on adjoining property

[MissRibena]

Hi everyone

I might cry, so forgive me if this post is not the most coherent one I've put together.

I've just heard that there is planning sought/granted/not sure in the field behind "my new house" for a housing development. I don't have details yet but am rushing my mother up to the planning office to get details asap after lunch.

I have signed the contracts on the new house and was hoping to get possession in the next week or two but just phoned the solicitor and discovered that he had forgotten to post them back, which I suppose is a stroke of good luck. I'm sick at the thought that I might have to go on the property hunt again cos I really love the house and am full of ideas/plans etc. for it.

What do people do in these cases;
1. Go ahead, pull out, seek a reduction in price?
2. Try and cut a deal with developer for a bit of land to make site bigger (is this realistic)?

Say a prayer to St Jude that my informer has it all wrong
Rebecca

 

[darraghdog]

Hi Rebecca,
I was in a similar situation a while ago, and I pulled out. It was a togh choice in the heat of the moment,and it was very tough to choose to go out looking again; but the reason I liked the house was becasue of the green out the back.
Especially around Dublin, if your counting on any piece of green land near a house I would go into the planning department and understand what the zoning is on it. There are maps in there showing the details and the zoning is done ~once every 7 years (I think).
Best of luck - and be tough with the builders
Darragh.

 

[gargamel]

The zoneing is done once every few years but may be expedited. I nought a house in a green area based on the fingal development plan and the land around my house being zoned green until 2011.

What do you know, a week after i bought the house, the green was rezoned just because the developer/owner asked for it to be.

There are now 40 houses going up there.

 

[MissRibena]

Thanks guys. I've calmed down a bit as the development is not totally on top of me, although still a lot closer than I'd like.

Rebecca

PS Was gargamel the baddy in the smurfs?

 

[mo3art]

Yup Ribena, Gargamel was the baddie in the Smurfs!!!
LOL, I did a Double take too.

Anyhow, there is nothing to stop you objecting to the permission application whether or not you're living there yet or not. If this new house is as important to you as i think it is, I would recommend you contact a good town planner (note town planner, not architect or engineer), I know that Michael O'Neill of O'Neill Town Planning in Howth is very good, and employ there services. If you make a good coherent objection to the planning permission application, there is nothing to say that you can't persuade them to move the development further away from your property if it is granted, or the style of the development moderated.

This might not be a bad thing, it's a pity that you are finding out at the last minute like this. But you possibly could negotiate some extra land with the developers for your own property in trade for the nuisance of the building. Be sure that you ask the council to restrict the building hours of the development. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT - you would not believe this. We bought in a new estate and there were no building restrictions and we had to put up with completely unreasonable working hours like St Stephen's Day and Sundays - incredible when they started at 8am in the morning.

Thank goodness you found out when you did. Our solicitor advised us when we bought our house to double check the planning in the area and all planning permissions to check and see what the land would be like for the next few years. Fortunately the green belt to the rear of our house will stay!

HTH

 

[MissRibena]

Thanks Mo3art

Maybe I'll be sorry but I've decided that for the sake of my mental health, I'm going to proceed.

In all likelihood, the fields around me will probably be built on and I always knew that but I thought I was far enough out of the village to not have to worry for another few (good few) years.

The way I look at it (today! ) is that I love the house and the site, it hasn't cost me a fortune, it's in a very handy location and here in the sticks there are no gaurantees whatsoever that you could hold onto your surroundings at all. Planning went out the window about ten years ago and as far as I can see if you have enough money or holiday with the right people, then anything can be built.

I have half an acre with mature trees so I should be able to afford myself some privacy no matter what. I also have about 30m of road frontage so maybe the house will be worth a fortune some day and I can go and live in outer Mongolia or somewhere where they wont put up 25 dormers in your back garden.

Rebecca

 

[Marie]

Rebecca I am sorry to hear your news about the development, remembering your enthusiasm for getting some space. Still, half-an-acre with lots of screening trees and shrubs gives, as you say, the privacy you need. The issue of rezoning and development is a real problem. I've got excited about half-a-do zen 'remote cottages' which are my ideal for peace and tranquility for retirement and found the seller was also offering nearby plots or even, in one case, a further 30 acres of 'prime development land'! There is 'development fever'!