Any issues with Trellis or fencing extension on top of garden wall ?

B

bullworth

Registered User
Messages
646
Theres a corner of my back garden which is overlooked. I have been considering if it is possible to remedy this. I would need to raise the height of the wall by about a metre around a corner of the garden


Are there any issues with planning permission I should be aware of ? Raising it by 2 metres would not impact upon the lighting etc of my neighbours in any way and might in fact improve their security as well as my own but close to a metre would be ideal.
I was considering perhaps drilling into the brick back yard wall and placing wooden batons onto it and then fixing wooden fencing panels onto the batons. Can anyone provide advice concerning DIY pitfalls/legal issues etc ? Are wooden batons/fencing panels a good idea in a damp climate such as Irelands particularly as I would be unable to paint or varnish them on the neighbours side without some difficulty but perhaps they could be unscrewed for this ? Also batons might take up extra space on my side of the wall. Are there any other options ? Can someone recommend the type of panels I should get or help me consider what my choices are?
 
Why would putting a trellis on the inside of existing boundary be so objectionable?

Particularly when the alternative would be planting a bush or tree that would grow significantly higher?
 
bullworth said:
Thanks. 2 metres would be the absolute maximum I would consider anyway. I would probably go for one metre so would be ok ?
Click to expand...

Not 100% clear on what you mean here. the 2m max is from the ground level on the lower of the 2 sides of the wall if ground level is not the same on both sides.
 
hastalavista said:
Not 100% clear on what you mean here. the 2m max is from the ground level on the lower of the 2 sides of the wall if ground level is not the same on both sides.
Click to expand...

Ah apologies for any confusion. My intention is to increase the privacy by 1 metre. The wall is already roughly 6 foot high but extremely strong being built of wide concrete blocks which are laid down flat so the wall is thick enough to walk along and not narrow.
 
Given that it is already ~1.82m, you cannot extend it by another metre without planning permission.
Leo
 
We had a similar problem and the planning officer suggested that we build a separate wall inside the existing one to the required height.
He said that the reason could be given that we needed the extra height to grow specialised plants.
We compromised and built two pillars, at the strategic spot,inside the wall, put a lintel across, and built a few courses of blocks on top.
That solved the problem, we now have wall covering plants on the wall and all looks well and we have the desired privacy.
Browtal
 
To piggy back on this, if my neighbour has added brick to part of his back garden wall to extend the height above 2 metres, should that be discretely reported to the council? It doesn't really affect me, but at the same time it's somehow irritating...
 
Alias said:
To piggy back on this, if my neighbour has added brick to part of his back garden wall to extend the height above 2 metres, should that be discretely reported to the council? It doesn't really affect me, but at the same time it's somehow irritating...
Click to expand...

why does it irritate you ? In my case the trellis would be 100 metres from my neighbours windows or doors, would not impact upon the light or view they receive, would hinder burglars and would actually give them more privacy as I would be unable to peer into their bedroom window once it went up.
 
browtal said:
We had a similar problem and the planning officer suggested that we build a separate wall inside the existing one to the required height.
He said that the reason could be given that we needed the extra height to grow specialised plants.
We compromised and built two pillars, at the strategic spot,inside the wall, put a lintel across, and built a few courses of blocks on top.
That solved the problem, we now have wall covering plants on the wall and all looks well and we have the desired privacy.
Browtal
Click to expand...

Did the top of the wall end up being more than 2m in height.?
 
No the new height is 2m now. The neighbour incidently had built his house 20 feet nearer our boundary wall than his planning permission allowed, we were not aware of this at the time.
When we commenced building, the neighbour, a town councillor, threatened to knock our new wall. For peace sake we built below the 2m and thought that he would quickly see that he was also being overlooked. It did not seem to bother them but for us it was not nice. In time we topped the wall but he knocked it down.
The real problem was that the neighbours had been used to the facility of our site offering a view which he was now going to lose. He should have considered buying our site.
You know what my view of local representatives is??? Life is too short to challenge everything.
 
bullworth said:
why does it irritate you ? In my case the trellis would be 100 metres from my neighbours windows or doors, would not impact upon the light or view they receive, would hinder burglars and would actually give them more privacy as I would be unable to peer into their bedroom window once it went up.
Click to expand...

It doesn't affect my sunlight, as he is on my north side, however the wall is right outside my back door, and when I look out from one side all I see is concrete bricks. It's ugly and irritating. It's been less than a year since they built on it, but I've only now with this thread realised that it's probably much higher than the 2m rule.

ETA Originally they had bamboo screening attached to the wall, and I didn't mind that at all. It's the concrete brick that bothers me.
 
Alias said:
It doesn't affect my sunlight, as he is on my north side, however the wall is right outside my back door, and when I look out from one side all I see is concrete bricks. It's ugly and irritating. It's been less than a year since they built on it, but I've only now with this thread realised that it's probably much higher than the 2m rule.

ETA Originally they had bamboo screening attached to the wall, and I didn't mind that at all. It's the concrete brick that bothers me.
Click to expand...

Hi Alias,

If the wall is higher than 2.0M and they don't have permission you can report it.

I don't know how you expect to do this discreetly though, or why.
They'd have to be pretty clueless not to guess its you. :D

They are the ones who seem to have broken the law.
You're only asserting your rights, why hide that fact.

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.
 
Staples said:
Why would putting a trellis on the inside of existing boundary be so objectionable?

Particularly when the alternative would be planting a bush or tree that would grow significantly higher?
Click to expand...

Your point is well made, but the law as currently worded addresses walling and fencing, not planting.

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.
 
bullworth said:
Is this a costly process for something none of my neighbours would object to ?
Click to expand...

Hi Bullworth,

You initiated the thread to seek advice and you've been given accurate advice by hastalavista and others.
If you want to erect fencing or wall covered by statute higher than 2.0M you need planning permission.
Alternatively, if you want to plant semi-matures you may do so without planning permission. :)

The cost of -

- making one planning permission
- assuming detailed drawings of the houses are not required by the planning officer
- including taking one meeting with the neighbours to smooth the way forward
- excluding printing and public notices

- could be do-able for between €500 to €1,000.

You should also retain the services of an engineer to check the existing walling is sound - many an older wall looks the part but isn't.
Even where the existing wall is sound, the additional wind loading may require buttresses on both sides with new foundations.

Don't skimp on the meeting with the neighbour as this is a boundary wall/party wall matter.
Chapter Three of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 refers.
[broken link removed] with the text.

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.
 
Thanks ONQ. Would it not be possible to cut corners in your steps above ? An engineer is not necessary as the wall is apart from being less than 10 years old; is also built of solid blocks double the normal width over a foot thick with a damp proof course along the bottom of the walls so its extremely well made. Many concrete sheds carrying higher loads would have thinner walls. What are the fixed costs of submitting a planning permission application ? Can I not just get some generic form with a smaller ( I would hope) fee from the planning department and write in for example ''application to raise wall by 1 metre by application of half inch plywood to inner part of wall '' ?
Is a planning application to raise the wall with bricks any more costly than one to raise it via a trellis ?
 
bullworth said:
Thanks ONQ. Would it not be possible to cut corners in your steps above ?
Click to expand...
Of course you can cut corners - even if you do all I have suggested, there is a chance things can go wrong but following my advice would lessens the chance of failure significantly.
An engineer is not necessary as the wall is apart from being less than 10 years old; is also built of solid blocks double the normal width over a foot thick with a damp proof course along the bottom of the walls so its extremely well made. Many concrete sheds carrying higher loads would have thinner walls.
Click to expand...
I myself, with twenty one years post qualification behind me, could not say this without further investigation. As an example, your comments do not assess the wind loading, foundation design, buttressing or the height : width ratio. Your comments only touche on rising damp / damp proof courses (Walls can slide on damp proof courses if side loaded). A significant risk to the wall is water ingress from above not properly shed, penetrating the wall, freezing and degrading the mortar joints and masonry. You comments don't address this or the structural degradation that can occur inside old garden walls. A layperson's appreciation of building work is limited to what he experiences and can see. Very few have ever even seen remedial work to building or masonry or know the need for it.
What are the fixed costs of submitting a planning permission application ?
Click to expand...
Don't know - that's why I suggested a range. If this is a protected structure you may need to survey the whole site if you have a difficult planning officer.
Can I not just get some generic form with a smaller ( I would hope) fee from the planning department and write in for example ''application to raise wall by 1 metre by application of half inch plywood to inner part of wall '' ?
Click to expand...
No, not as far as I am aware.
Is a planning application to raise the wall with bricks any more costly than one to raise it via a trellis ?
Click to expand...
No, not as far as I am aware.


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.
 
Issues with Trellis or fencing extension on top of garden wall.

Dear Bullworth,
I happened upon your posting in August 2011 regarding issues with trellis extension and increasing the height of rear garden boundary wall.
As I am going through a similar dilemma I would be interested to hear from you in regard to the eventual outcome.
The choices open to me are 1. Apply for retention or 2. Remove and plant mature trees.
I too secured 4’’ x 1.5’’ horizontal parallel batons to my 2mtr concrete wall (one side only, the overlooked side) and then firmly secured boards (domed lolly pob type) the length of wall. This has increased the effective height to 9ft 6in.
Of course should permission to retain be denied I feel option 2 would be the better choice in the first instance.
I would welcome hearing from you.
Kind regards, Nontaburi.

29-08-2011, 10:56 PM
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top