"supermoocow" wrote in message
...
Hello I don't know if anyone can help...

We live in a semi-detached house and our adjoining neighbour has just
informed me that they are planning on building a conservatory next to our
boundary. The conservatory will be only 0.5m from our dining room window
and
will extend out 4m.
This will reduce light into our dining room and we will no longer get
sunshine into our dining room or patio until about 15:30 rather than 11:00
which we enjoy at present.

The conservatory will not be large enough to require planning permission
and
the neighbour has also requested that the short hedge used as a boundary
be
removed and replaced as a fence or the hedge will be cut back to the
boundary which will most probably kill it.
The conservatory will be built upon the boundary of the property which we
are responsible for fencing etc.

Do we have any rights, what can we do to try to either stop or reduce the
amount of light loss from the conservatory?


The layout of the plans are as follows:


Sun location at 15:00
*

Sun location at 11:00
*

Neighbour Mine

| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
------ | | | H |
|------------------------|-------
Toilet | | | E | | Patio
| Toilet
/ | | | D | |
| /
Ulils | | | G | |
| Utils
----|Patio Doors|---- E - ----|Win |Door|Win |---

Lounge Dining Room


The Toilet/utils is 3.2m high where attached to building, 2.35m high at
other end.
Hedge is 4.5 m long and 1.4m high
Window ledge in my dining room is 1.2m from floor and window is 1.3m high.
Door window section is 2m long.
The dining room window is 0.25m from boundary and 0.55m wide

The proposed conservatory is to be 0.2m from boundary.
It is to extend 4m into garden and be 3.2m high at connection to existing
building.
It is to be 2.35m high at furthest extension.
The conservatory will extend across diagonally to the edge of the existing
toilet/util building.

We really do not want to fall out with our neighbours, however we are
aghast
at living in near perpetual shadow.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.


In the DETR booklet "Planning - A Guide for Householders" it says:
"If the work you carry out seriously overshadows a neighbour's window and
that window has been there for 20 years or more, you may be affecting his or
her 'right to light' and you could be open to legal action."

If this applies to you, it may be worth having a word with your local
Planning Department - despite what others have said about right to light.

In cases where planning permission *is* required, there seems to be a 45
degree rule whereby, when looking out at an angle of 45 degrees from the
windows of neighbouring properties, your extension shouldn't be visible.
Clearly, this one would be!

Roger