A couple have been left furious after their house allegedly dropped in value by £30,000 - due to their neighbour. Roger Smith, 59, and wife Sharon, 61, claim their neighbour's 'intrusive' bungalow has been built so close to their home that they can touch the roof from their garden.
The pair say they repeatedly voiced their concerns over the property's construction, with a planning permission dispute going on for years, Birmingham Live reports. However, the Planning Inspectorate eventually ruled that the bungalow would not 'unacceptably harm the living conditions of the neighbouring residents' and the project was given the green light.
Speaking to the Nottingham Post, Mr Smith said: “It dwarfs our garden completely. We’ve had to put up blinds to keep our privacy and it’s ruined the light. It’s definitely devalued our home as well. I just can’t believe it was ever built to be honest.”
Mrs Smith said: “It’s so intrusive and close. You can reach out and touch the roof from our garden.” Mr Smith said: “We were told it may have knocked £25,000 to £30,000 off the house. Our neighbours aren’t happy either, one of them has put up conifers along their house to block it out."
Mrs Smith added: “We can’t do anything now, but we want to highlight the issue really. The applicant gets a right to appeal at that level but we do not.”
The Planning Inspectorate said: "I have carefully considered the effect of this proposal on the occupiers of these two neighbouring dwellings and on other surrounding properties. However, overall, I do not consider the proposal in Appeal A would unacceptably harm the living conditions of the neighbouring residents."
Planning agent Steve Dance, speaking on behalf of applicant Mark Copeland, said: "We had various appeals, and lost one and won one. Actually, the one we lost was designed to avoid going past their garden, so the bungalow that got consent does go past their garden - which we won on appeal.
"We fought long and hard to get a development on the site, it was totally appropriate for at least one dwelling. We had various designs refused and that we designed to avoid impact on neighbours. We won it fair and square on appeal, both neighbours were consulted and I'm sure objected to it."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here .
