Neighbour No Planning Permission

Dslatt

Hello, my neighbour has built a very large extension for which there does not appear to be any planning permission. It has caused severe drainage issues which have damaged the road outside my house as well as the ground at the wall dividing our properties. What would be my best port of call here?

cars14

Talk to your solicitor and get advice.

Your solicitor will tell you how to report it to the Council.

You will need an Engineers Report explaining the problems caused by the extension.

Dslatt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120115125#Comment_120115125

Perfect, thanks a million

AndrewJRenko

You don't need a solicitor to make a report to your local authority Planning Enforcement. You'll find details on your LA's website.

If you're planning on taking action for damages, you would need solicitor and engineer as outlined above.

tommythecat

They may not need PP if its under 40sqm. Thats quite large.

Girl Geraldine

First, make fully sure that it is work that requires planning permission. A lot of stuff is exempted development.

After that, lodge a written complaint with the planning department of your County Council.

T-Maxx

Would you not just discuss it with the neighbour before going the nuclear way?

Dslatt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120115441#Comment_120115441

That ship has sailed!

coolbeans

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120115125#Comment_120115125

Don't talk to a solicitor as that's just a waste of money. Report directly to the planning authority. If you need to take a civil action against neighbour then you may need a solicitor but you're not at that stage yet.

Calahonda52

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058279877/neighbour-no-planning-permission

Forget about a lawyer at this stage.

If the drainage works on the road has damaged it as you describe, the it's a LA issue, regardless of PP.

So go down that road.

If you lodge a complaint re the PP, it is a public document and if you are wrong...egg on face.

The road damage is a much cleaner line of attack

Can you post a few pictures of the damaged road here

Girl Geraldine

I wouldn't worry about the egg on face bit.

Nobody will give a shít outside of the neighbours.

Donald Trump

OP, there is also a 6 year time limit for enforcement proceedings. You might want to take notice of that in the event you think you might want to report it.

Kop On

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120116205#Comment_120116205

Important to correct something you’ve said there. If you complain to the council regarding an unauthorised development your name remains anonymous so it is not a public document as you suggested.

https://www.dublincity.ie/residential/planning/planning-applications/make-planning-application/planning-application-complaints

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120296244#Comment_120296244

A wording I’ve read on another councils website is something like, while they will try and keep your identity private, in some cases you may be identified. The initial complaint though would be through an email or online form- I’d imagine that would be private- but the council may have to inform the other householder who the complainant is if they’re impacted in some way, which appears to be the case here.

Kop On

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120296263#Comment_120296263

Maybe if you were asked to go to court to give evidence (which you could decide against doing) but it’s in black and white there from DCC that your complaint is anonymous.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120296263#Comment_120296263

but the council may have to inform the other householder who the complainant is

its not really that simple

Is there anything else that I need to know?

• Your personal information will not be divulged due to Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation. Your identity will also not be divulged under Freedom of Information legislation unless the Planning Authority is compelled to release this information to comply with statutory or legal obligations.

• If the Planning Authority begins legal action, the Courts or Cork County Council may ask you to give evidence in court about the unauthorised development start date or its impact on you. Your evidence may be crucial if a court case is to succeed.

muffler

A few years ago I asked someone in my local Council if a "reporter" could be named upon request and was told no. The reason given was that if the county manager/CEO formed the opinion that to release the name could lead to friction/breach of the peace between the parties involved then he/she would be duly bound to refuse such an application or words to that effect. I checked the regulations after that and it's in there. That said someone did tell recently that they were able to get the name of a person who had reported then but I'm not sure if that's true or not.

Oscar_Madison

If it’s your immediate neighbour and the construction is having an adverse affect on your own home, it’s pretty likely that the council will have to inform the neighbour of that fact- reporting a random neighbour away from your house over a lack of planning permission, there’s no reason to mention your name- but reporting your immediate neighbour because of an issue affecting your own house- practically your name would have to be mentioned in some context.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297851#Comment_120297851

not sure what you mean

when you make a complaint, of course you must include your name and address in order for the council to accept teh complaint as valid.

however the anonymity comes from the council not releasing the complainants name as part of the procedure, even under standard FOI requests

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297882#Comment_120297882

It from a practicality perspective how will that work if the construction impacts directly on your property? It’s impossible to keep names out of it at that point.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297932#Comment_120297932

no its not, it happens all the time. The council do not give out the name of the complainant.

in most urban situations, houses have more than 1 neighbour.

what ive found over the years that the developments that draw the ire of neighbours are the types that are really taking the pi$$. the type of person that carries out these developments without caring about their neighbours or planning permission, and in the main, dickheads who would have burned their bridges with a lot of the neighbours in the area. Therefore theres usually a list of people waiting to make complaints when it becomes possible.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297932#Comment_120297932

I’ve seen complaints from people that live 5km away from the subject site. It’s not always neighbours!

hkjohn

My sister's neighbor erected a large illegal structure in a field adjoining her farm three years ago.

Neighbour was subsequently reported and served with enforcement orders which he appealed and lost last autum

Despite the developer not bothering to appeal to Bord na Pleurala apeal, the local council seems to be taking forever to follow through on the enforcement order.

Anyone know how long it will take for them to act or what can be done to give them a kick up the proverbial?

chooseusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120535535#Comment_120535535

"Anyone know how long it will take for them to act or what can be done to give them a kick up the proverbial?"

About 15 years if she lives in Co Meath,

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2023/02/03/last-minute-bid-to-prevent-family-home-demolition-abuse-of-process-council-claims/

Girl Geraldine

^^^

Sure why would anyone bother with the hassle of planning permission at all when you can just do what the Murray's do and give the whole system the runaround and give 2 fingers to the planning authorities.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120545178#Comment_120545178

Well or a start, their legal battle hasn't be cheap.

DOCARCH

And....most people consider their house an asset that they can sell if they need/want to. That house in question is in effect worthless!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120564586#Comment_120564586

Good news for at least one of their kids, if they have any.