opposing planning permission

[margarett]

Our neighbour is planning to build a stable for 16 horses in a field overlooking our house and garden. The stable will be 9m high, 20m width and 30m length. It will stand on high ground right at the entrance to our property. It will be built of bloc beton. Our neighbour has told us that the concrete blocks will be rendered but we have not been shown the planning dossier and have no idea in fact what materials are mentioned in these documents. The stable will be directly to our West, and standing above us as it will, will block evening sun to our west-facing terrace, and deprive us of a pleasant rural view. We only discovered that planning permission had been applied for quite by accident, and have discussed the situation with our mayor, who is sympathetic to our plight, but may be unable to reject the plan if it satisfies legal requirements.

What action can we take? We have discussed our distress with our neighbour, but she is indifferent, stating that as an agriculteur she can do what she wants. She is in fact a German breeder of race horses, a luxury trade I would have thought, rather like our own gite business. We have no other close neighbours to join with us in opposing this plan. Our neighbour has other land on which she could site the stable, and we have explained to her that our objection is not to the building itself, though we are not thrilled about it, but to the site she has chosen for it. Our mayor has suggested we may have a claim under the Code Civile because our property value is likely to be affected by this development. Does anyone know anything about this, or about opposing planning permissions generally?

It may be relevant that our neighbour, so our French neighbours in the nearby village say, has in all likelihood done extensive restoration work on her house without obtaining planning permissions, and using imported unregistered Polish workmen, very likely illegally in France too.

All suggestions welcome.

[Val_2]

Not at all a very nice neighbour you have there,not even to have discussed it with you first as an outline idea. I could say something there but won't as it could be taken in the wrong context as racist. Unfortunately you havn't got a lot of choice without concrete proof that she has imported illegal workers and has done works without permission although the maire would be able to confirm that by looking through the applications to do such things and I don't know how friendly you are with him because in his capacity as maire,he has an interest to encourage businesses in his commune,hence the stables. If you go down the legal path of getting lawyers involved,it could cost you thousands of euros and still not get you any result. The only thing I could suggest is that you write a very detailed letter with photos enclosed of the proposed site in relation to your property and send them to the local DDE and your local Prefecture dept that deals with building matters. Are there are monuments historiques nearby,even a small cross or lavoir as this could stop the development and try writing to the Architect de Bâtiments de France stating your case as well, you never know. There should have been a public notice in the mairie for you to see once consent has been given and you can ask about the details too.

[margarett]

Thank you - this sounds a good idea and we'll get onto it. I know the address of the local DDE, but do you know how I trace the Batiments de France in our area? I don't seem to be able to find anything in the phone book. It may be that they would be interested since this neighbour's house overlooks Cordes-sur-Ciel, a 13th century hill town, definitely a monument.

If we have to formally appeal against the permis, which I'm hoping won't be necessary, does anyone know if the diminution of the value of our house would be grounds? Our mayor seemed to think it would.

Regards, Margarett

[Teamedup]

http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/sites-sdaps/sdap25/abf/abf.htm

 

Here is a link for Batiments de France.

I would go in and see the DDE with the plan cadastre of my property and next doors. And see what they have to say. And if I was feeling really mad I might tell them that there seems to have been extensive work done on the property and have never seen any panneau stating that there was any sort of permission and could they look into that too. (Only, I have been in the position to shop someone and didn't)

I would go and see the Chambre de Agriculture people in the region and ask what rights this person would have to build this.