Neighbour built shed and a self contained flat in his back garden: no planning

[SAN]

A neighbour of mine has built a storage shed and a self contained flat in his back garden without planning permission. One of the neghbours reported the flat as it was a nuisance with gangs of students staying there holding parties etc and he was paid a visit by the County council.

Since then his son and the sons girlfriend are living in the flat. He then applied to retain the flat and storage shed which I objected to. The flat was refused but the shed was granted retention with the condition that no one was to live in it.

I now see a new sign in his garden where he is applying to change the use of the storage shed to an en suite bedroom.

Does anyone know if I have to object to this again and how can something be refused and then be applied for again? This guy is a builder and probably knows his way around the planning laws.

Has anyone any experience with this kind of thing?

thanks
San

 

[extopia]

Re: Planning permission

What happened when the flate was refused retention? Normally this would mean it has to be demolished. Was the "flat" attached to the house and has it now reverted to an extension?

Is the storage shed attached to the house? Perhaps the "flat" became a bedroom (accessed from the interior of the house) and the shed is now being incorporated into that? Normally permission would not be required for such a small extension to the rear of the house (whether it's a change of use or not).

More info required!

 

[SAN]

Re: Planning permission

Both the flat and the shed are at the bottom of the garden, not attached to the house but attached to each other.

Permission for the flat was refused but nothing seems to have happened as it is still occupied. It was refused about 3 months ago and was not appealed.

 

[Unregistered]

Re: Planning permission

HI SAN
Why don't you contact the planning enforcement officer in the relevant planning authority ... (ie county council) and report the details of the development. You don't need to give your details ... they are usually pretty prompt about sending someone out to have a look.

 

[Unregistered]

Re: Planning permission

... they are usually pretty prompt about sending someone out to have a look.

Thats what I thought! Retention was refused back in February but dispite reporting it to the council that the flat was still occupied nothing has happened.
What I am worried about now is that he will get permission to convert the shed to a bedroom and then we will will have 2 flats in this guys back garden, we are having enough trouble with him having one there

 

[Henny Penny]

Re: Planning permission

If you have had no success with the planning authority, why don't you contact the ombudsman with your complaint. A friend of mine used this course of action with great success.