The Impact of Neighbouring Developments

Spencer Lion are specialist surveyors in Slough & Windsor, providing structural surveys, building surveys & dealing with party wall matters.

Impact of Neighbours Developments

This week I was called out to a terraced Victorian house in Windsor to provide advice on the Party Wall Act. The building owner served notices on their neighbour (the adjoining owner) to convert and extend the roof space to form additional habitable space.

On receipt of the notices, the adjoining owner signed and consented to the works. Subsequently, the rear dormer size was increased to abut the party wall at roof level. The adjoining owner was concerned about this as they did not consent to the change of design.

Unfortunately, these changes did not warrant new notices as there were no proposed works to the party wall. Whilst they may entail planning and building regulation issues, there is not a lot an adjoining owner can do.

As the adjoining owner was considering building a matching dormer to their own house, this would create a narrow gap between the structures which would have been susceptible to birds nesting and possible waterproofing issues. It would also be difficult to build the side face of the dormer nearest the neighbour’s dormer due to the limited space.

As the new extended dormer is inside the party wall line they have two options:-

      i.        Agree with the neighbours to enclose against their dormer when they undertake their own roof extension. The neighbour’s may not agree to this.

     ii.        Extend the height of the party wall and enclose against the party wall. In this instance that would mean stripping the slates to the side of the dormer as they overhang the party wall line.  They are entitled to do this under the Party Wall Act but are obliged to provide temporary and permanent weathering by formal agreement. A costly solution for the neighbour.

In hindsight, if the parties had appointed party wall surveyors this could have been considered and the detailing changed to the benefit of both parties by raising the party wall in the first instance. Both parties would then have been able to maximise their dormer space.

High Quality Surveyors In Slough & Windsor

Spencer Lion is one of the leading building surveyors in Slough and Windsor. We have been established for over ten years, with more than 25 years of experience, acting for both residential and commercial clients. To find out more or to arrange a surveyor in Slough please call us on 01753 850304 or email info@surveyorsslough.co.uk