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Elle, I hope the English system is the same as the Scottish when it comes to extensions. Here, you (and all other possibly affected neighbours) get to see the plans that your neighbour submits. Any comments you make have to be taken into consideration before planning permission is granted. Many people deliberately submit very ambitious plans, knowing that they're likely to be changed, cut back drastically.

Hello, Elle!
Yes, you best look after your own interests regarding your neighbour.
Is there plans lodged with your council?
I have no experience of this but professional advice would be no bad thing?
Have you switched allegiances to follow Eilidh and Scotland?
I can see you landing in the Tower!

Hi, Rusty!
I don't know what the legal situation is here, Rusty.
Malone says it is likely that we and the other neighbours involved can look at the proposed plans.....
I shall talk to the neighbours tomorrow, and perhaps phone the Council to find out what happens in a set up like this.
I think a single storey extension might be acceptable, but nothing higher than that.
But I am not sure whether we really have any say in the matter?
So best to find out ASAP exactly where we stand.
The houses are biggish already - extending next door would make for too many flats.
No, I'm not supporting Scotland!
I had forgotten for the moment that in the Commonwealth Games we split into Home Nations.
So no Team GB..... but rather individual teams......
I saw Eilidh carry the Scottish flag and Alistair Brownlee carry the flag for England!
Both did well!



Hello, Malone!
Thank you for your input!
I have seen notices outside properties, stating what alterations are boing proposed - and supposedly giving readers the chance to object?
I really do not know what the situation is...so I will check this out and see if it is possible to see the proposed plans.

Hello, Elle!
Hopefully you have a similar system to the Scottish one that Malone indicated.
I have no experience at all of these things.
But I am sure there will be good advice to be had once you ask around.
Ah, you had me worried earlier about cheering on Eilidh!
Akin to treason!
I am no fan of music in these ceremonies.
There were countries marching that I had never heard of in my puff!

Hello Elle,

You mentioned that the houses in your street are of an old style - might they not come of 'Protection of Historical Monuments',
something my husband always had to check when drawing
extension/renovation plans for his clients

Elle, my neighbour wants to extend and last month every single one of us in the street got a copy of her proposed plans, complete with detailed drawings, measurements etc. We were invited to comment and note down any objections, saying why. I know that these comments/objections are acted on as I have previous experience. 10 years ago, another neighbour planned a huge extension. When I got the proposal form, I objected strongly to the lack of parking - my neighbour planned to keep most of her front garden, with just a space for one car. I noted that our street had already had problems with a shortage of parking. My neighbour had to adjust her plans, so that two cars could be parked on what was her garden. We are friends and she told me at the time that she hadn't expected the plan to go through as it was, she just liked the thought of retaining as much as possible of her garden!

Hi, Rusty!
I shall make "official" enquiries tomorrow.
Meanwhile I have been googling.......but it does not look hopeful.
There is already a precedent been created further down the street, where a homeowner has apparently added to his property by building a single extension out into his garden.
(But this is for his personal use, not part of a conversion to flats)
The neighbours on the other side may be able to object to a TWO storey building extension, though, on the grounds that it would block their light.
We fortunately are far enough away for a "light" issue not to affect us.
But there may well be a privacy issue if a building fills up half the adjacent garden.
My main concern is how many flats will there be?
This is a street of residential family homes............not multi-tenanted flats.
Right, rant over with.......!
I have never heard the expression "in my puff"!
It sounds like something out of "Jeeves and Wooster"!


A nice thought, Pigale, but I think such an Act probably only applies to "listed" buildings.
An old and tatty Victorian Villa doesn't qualify!

Rusty, I loved 'in my puff' - I haven't heard that used for years! I'll try to drop that into conversation too.

Hi, Malone!
I rather have a feeling that doesn't happen here - at least not automatically - .....but maybe it might if we officially applied to see the plans ?
I shall see what I can find out.

Hello, Elle!
The more info you can gather, the better.
Maybe have a wee meeting with the relevant neighbours to see what the way forward may be?
Well, now, "in my puff" is used quite often in my circles.
I have found a wee bit about it here. https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/31617/what-does-the-phrase-in-my-puff-mean