Well we’ve got as far as very nearly final plans, almost ready to submit the full planning application to the council.  So I figured I ought to go and sound the neighbours out, just in case…

One side were perfectly OK.  And are probably moving out before long anyway!  But of course, neighbours the other side decided to grizzle.  Fretting about being overlooked – into the bottom of their garden, FFS!  And of course these are the people who’ve spent a year recently erecting a vast full-width extension to the back of their house, plus 4-metre patio – with constant disruption to us and other neighbours!  And, to add insult to injury, they’re now planning a summerhouse at the foot of their garden – so the teenage kids can have their noisy gatherings down there away from the house.  And right outside my cabin bedroom! Bloody nerve.

I don’t think they’ve got a leg to stand on, planning-wise. So, they don’t have to like it, they can just bloody well lump it.

However, I could swap the two side lounge windows for velux windows.  That would have the double advantage of shutting grizzly self-absorbed neighbour up and giving me a long uninterrupted lounge wall – useful for furniture, and planned electric log fire.  Could also move the bedroom window to the rear wall – but then that might have planning issues as it would be facing neighbours behind rear fence.  Also it would be rather dark.  And deprive me of the long wall that I want to use for a bank of wardrobes, providing much-needed storage.  So I’m not likely to do that.

Bring back Shirin and David – previous longstanding and lovely neighbours!