Neighbour is finishing extension exterior different to rest of the estate.

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link2metroid

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Hi. My neighbour has been building an extension for the past couple of months. There were no objections but now it's got to the stage of finishing the exterior. I thought and many of the other neighbours presumed it was going to be finished in brick like the rest of the estate. But they're now going to plaster the whole extension. I don't know if they had put this in their plans, I think they changed their mind about the finish but if you look at the extension they never intended to finish the exterior in brick because it's not deep enough to take a brick.

Anyway, long story short, is there authority I can lodge a complaint with? All the other houses in the estate have a red brick finish on the front but their house will have a white plastered exterior on the extension part. It's going to stick out like a sore thumb. Other neighbours have built extensions and they all used red brick.
 
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Did they get planning permission? Is so, then check the planning conditions and if it's not in compliance then talk to the local authority. Is it really an issue for you what someone else's house looks like? Does every house in the estate have to look the exact same?
 
I understand where the OP is coming from - If brick houses are an integral part of the character of an estate, I think it is reasonable to expect that all extensions would be in keeping with this.

However, if the extension required planning permission, and the neighbour has built in line with this Planning Permission, it's too late to do anything about it.
 
Plenty of people build extensions. I don't go looking at peoples plans and lodging complaints. Never have, never would. I just assumed they'd use red brick but they've taken the cheap option and said to hell with aesthetics. Probably don't care what the neighbours think, keep to themselves and only bought the house a couple of years ago. Whereas most of the other residents have been living here at least 20 years and some over 30 years. I thought there's grounds for a complaint on aesthetics if it's out of place with all the other houses?
 
link2metroid said:
Plenty of people build extensions. I don't go looking at peoples plans and lodging complaints. Never have, never would. I thought there's grounds for a complaint on aesthetics if it's out of place with all the other houses?
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You knew they where building but didn't look at the plans and now that they build something you don't like you want to complain.

Thats what planning is all about - I 'm sure they would have erected the sign and people would have known the intention so really at this stage its tough and nothing you can do.

However if they are building outside the planning application then that's a totally different ballgame. I suggest you actually look at the planning application and permission.
 
peno said:
You knew they where building but didn't look at the plans and now that they build something you don't like you want to complain.

Thats what planning is all about - I 'm sure they would have erected the sign and people would have known the intention so really at this stage its tough and nothing you can do.

However if they are building outside the planning application then that's a totally different ballgame. I suggest you actually look at the planning application and permission.
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Of course there was a sign in the garden but it made no mention of the exterior finish. It just had a general overview.

Edit: Where would I find the finer details of the plans?
 
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Where would I find the finer details of the plan?
Leo said:
Follow the link for the relevant authority (new member so can't post your link).

It's not unusual for a different finish to be allowed.
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Thank you. I heard they asked to change the finish and got permission. But they never had any intention of putting a red brick finish on it as the block work was nearly flush with the existing building and would only allow for a plastered finish. As more neighbours hear about this they won't be impressed. Everyone else has red brick and now there'll be this spot the difference eye sore of white plaster.
 
I fully agree with the OP this should not be allowed to happen, only in this country would this happen and there is not enough people that kicks up a fuss, good on you OP to take a bit of pride on where you live
 
Some planners don't like new extensions to look like what was there before, particularly in period properties. May have been a factor here.
 
Leo said:
Some planners don't like new extensions to look like what was there before, particularly in period properties. May have been a factor here.
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I know that in Cork, from the County Council's own planning book, that traditionally in the county all extensions have a different finish to the original building.
Hence, extensions and new-builds that have extension-like parts, are usually finished in a different manner.
 
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