Vehicular Access

[monkeygirl]

My boyfriend and I live in a maisonette above a shop on an end terrace. To get to our front door you have to go round the back of the house, which is where our front door and drive is. We live next door to a derelict pub that has been demolished and behind us there is a garage which is also due to be demolished. To get to our drive there is an access 'road' although its just a means of getting to the drive and the garage. My boyfriend yesterday went to look at the plans and the developers are planning to put a fence across the access road which means we won't be able to have access to our drive for 9 months. Surely this can't be allowed? In the plans, he clearly owns his drive. Do we have any legal rights about where they can put their fence? Please help, they're demolishing very soon!!

Thanks

[Mattk]

just a suggestion but have you tried asking the developers directly ? if put nicely they may well agree to move it to one side(if thats possible)

[ursula62]

You might find you're too late to do anything official. Presumably the developers applied for planning permission? In which case the plans would have been available for inspection at the local authority planning office prior to a permission being granted. It is at that point that neighbours and others affected are supposed to object.

The system is a bit poor in that it relies upon you checking with the council to see if any proposed developments affect you. The council only have to place planning notices once in the local paper and give a deadline for objections. If, like me, you never bother reading those pages you will always be in the dark.

 

The best suggestion now is that you ask the developers as Mattk suggests. If they say no, then you could consult CAB or a solicitor, but I wouldn't hold out much hope.

Are you the only resident affected? If there are more of you perhaps you could all go together to see the developers?