The council had issued two permissions authorising separate rear extensions to the two properties. Identical conditions requiring the works to be undertaken at the same time had been imposed to safeguard the amenity of occupiers in each dwelling. However, only one of the owners now wished to extend his property. The neighbours raised no objection to the conditions being removed, but the inspector found this an injudicious approach.
In his view, the extension would have an unacceptable impact on the neighbours' outlook and living conditions because they would look onto a blank wall. Since there was no guarantee that the matching extension would be built, he judged it possible that this oppressive outlook could continue for many years. In his opinion, the two permissions were physically linked and allowing one to proceed without the other was unacceptable.
Inspector: David Storrie; Written representations
