Everybody has different ideas about what makes a house and garden look great, which is why your own home and back yard will probably look a bit different to those of the people living around you.
Normally this is not a problem at all; the situation only becomes an issue when a development or the growth of a plant becomes intrusive, encroaching on another property, creating an eyesore or blocking out sunlight.
Apart from maintaining good neighbourly relations, those planning to build traditional conservatories or orangeries should also pay attention to planning law when they set out on a new project, especially as this is set to change.
At present, the rules on ‘permitted development’ allow for conservatories and orangeries to be added without planning permission being required, provided they meet certain criteria of having less than 30 sq m floorspace, have their own external doors and an independent heating system.
The change that is coming is a new provision in the government’s ‘Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’, which was introduced to Parliament this week, having been announced in the recent Queen’s Speech.
A significant element of this was a new rule that would allow ‘street votes’ to take place, essentially giving neighbours the chance to approve or decline home extensions in their area.
It remains to be seen if this rule will affect smaller conservatories and orangeries that do not require planning permission, but it is also worth considering that if you set out to add a structure that is aesthetically pleasing as well as attractive, it is very unlikely that your neighbours will object in sufficient numbers to stop it.
Indeed, having an attractive conservatory may actually inspire your neighbours to get one themselves, ensuring that a new consensus emerges in your street, based on good design and high quality that provides great benefits as well as a beautiful appearance.