100 signatures reached
To: Kit Malthouse MP
Protect home owners’ right to privacy
Remove the loophole that exists in planning case law/statute that prevents local planning authorities being able to enforce against 3rd parties using flat roofs despite the level of intrusion and overlooking caused to neighbours.
Why is this important?
Having been personally affected by this (as I know thousands of others have) it is a matter that is close to my heart.
I am a single female owner of a semi detached property. My neighbours recently installed railings around the perimeter of their flat roof (the entire width of their house), which is less than 4ft from my bedroom window, and started to use it as a recreational balcony. I am now unable to use my bedroom, or my entire garden, without the risk of all my activities being in full view of any occupants of the adjoining property.
This has seriously affected not only my lifestyle but my personal well being, due to the level of anxiety and upset I am experiencing.
The irony of this case, and the reason for this petition, is that the local planning authority refused the retrospective application for the railings but the current loophole still allows the occupants to use the flat roof as a balcony regardless of the level of intrusion of my privacy, which is severe.
Surely this flies directly in the face of our entire legal system being based upon the 'reasonable man' as we have a situation where a 3rd party's activities have denied an innocent person's right to reasonable enjoyment of their own home.
