Pulsar height near boundary

[varius21]

Hello,

I recently purchased a 2.2 Pulsar observatory. It has been in my garden in pieces for a couple of weeks an dI have had a shed base and pier built by a builder I know. It was painted and sat there until today…

 

Today I started putting it together and to my surprise it seems to be taller than I thought. For some reason I thought it was 2m high but apparently it’s 2,47cm. The cement base is about 15cm high and it’s close to the boundary.

I will have a problem, won’t I?

so much work and so much money spent…
 

[malc-c]

It was a long time ago when I built my observatory, but I seem to remember that there were two height restrictions for outbuildings within a certain distance from a boundary.  One to the eves and the other to a ridge.  I believe the max height without planning permission is 2.5m to the ridge if its within 2m of a boundary fence, so you should be OK, but don't take my word as different councils may interpret the rules differently.  I would give your local planning office a call for verification.  I can't see it being a problem as these rules tend to be there to prevent people building unlawful two story extensions or huge conservatories on their houses.  You could also argue that this, like a shed, is not a permeant structure, which may not need to comply.

[varius21]

4 minutes ago, malc-c said:

It was a long time ago when I built my observatory, but I seem to remember that there were two height restrictions for outbuildings within a certain distance from a boundary.  One to the eves and the other to a ridge.  I believe the max height without planning permission is 2.5m to the ridge if its within 2m of a boundary fence, so you should be OK, but don't take my word as different councils may interpret the rules differently.  I would give your local planning office a call for verification.  I can't see it being a problem as these rules tend to be there to prevent people building unlawful two story extensions or huge conservatories on their houses.  You could also argue that this, like a shed, is not a permeant structure, which may not need to comply.

Just to clarify… the observatory itself is 2.47 and the concrete base is almost 15cm… which would make it in total 262cm.

your comment is encouraging. I am pretty stressed out about it because I thought the observatory was shorter.

[wulfrun]

Chances are no-one will complain and the council won't send out an inspector, with a measure, to tell you to take it down. Unless you "fess up", of course!

[varius21]

44 minutes ago, wulfrun said:

Chances are no-one will complain and the council won't send out an inspector, with a measure, to tell you to take it down. Unless you "fess up", of course!

I really hope so! I hope my neighbour won’t get close to the fence and start measuring. I don’t know what these neighbours are like.

[JeremyS]

27 minutes ago, varius21 said:

I really hope so! I hope my neighbour won’t get close to the fence and start measuring. I don’t know what these neighbours are like.

Maybe worth knocking on their door to explain what you are doing. As discussed on another thread, ppl assume these Pulsar domes, especially green ones, are something else. They may worry more about their speculation than if they knew what it was. Perhaps say you’ll invite them round to look through your scope when ready 

[varius21]

6 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Maybe worth knocking on their door to explain what you are doing. As discussed on another thread, ppl assume these Pulsar domes, especially green ones, are something else. They may worry more about their speculation than if they knew what it was. Perhaps say you’ll invite them round to look through your scope when ready 

If I do knock to let them know.. should I ask them if it bothers them? What if they say it does? These folks took their fence panels off one day to paint them both sides and didn’t tell us they would… so I don’t know what to expect from them 😬

Edited November 20, 2022 by varius21

[JeremyS]

1 minute ago, varius21 said:

If I do knock to let them know.. should I ask them if it bothers them? What if they say it does? These folks took their fence panels off one day to paint them both sides and didn’t tell us they would… so I don’t know what to expect from them 😬

I’d just explain what you are doing and that you be happy to show them around.

The “whether it bothers them” question might arise regardless of whether you ask them. I presume they will see it at some point in the future and it might bother them then if they don’t know what it is.

[varius21]

20 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I’d just explain what you are doing and that you be happy to show them around.

The “whether it bothers them” question might arise regardless of whether you ask them. I presume they will see it at some point in the future and it might bother them then if they don’t know what it is.

Thank you for your suggestions!

[Swoop1]

I see outbuildings on the other side of the fence so, height seems not to bother folk if it on their ground?

[varius21]

9 hours ago, Swoop1 said:

I see outbuildings on the other side of the fence so, height seems not to bother folk if it on their ground?

that outbuilding is the other neighbours. The gardens are asymmetrical, there's a fence right next to that outbuilding. It looks like that outbuilding is less than 2.5m while if I put the top on my obsy it will be higher than 2.5

[Carbon Brush]

My local council web site has a lot of information to establish the need for planning permission, and whether build control (regulations) need to get involved.
The obsevatory should be classed as a temporary building - like a shed - as it is easily unbolted for removal.
If you get challenged, it cost you £xxxx and goes with you if you move house.
Distance to boundary and other structures may involve building regs.
For example I seem to think one shed (made of burnable wood) is OK but two sheds in a garden mean they get involved.

Not simple!

[CraigT82]

Put the dome straight on the ground first and leave it there for a few weeks, let the neighbours complain if they want to. If anyone measures it it’s less than 2.5m high and no one can do anything about that, then after it’s all died down surreptitiously move it onto the slab! 

[malc-c]

To be honest I think you are worrying over nothing.   The structure is not permeant and would be classes as an outbuilding.  And if the people either side of you reported it to the council and an inspector came out I don't think they would issue you with an order to take it down over a few centimetres.  If it did require planning permission on that technicality chances are it would be retrospective.   

If you are really, really bothered then remove and relay the base so its at ground level rather than proud so that it sits less than 2.5m 

[varius21]

11 minutes ago, malc-c said:

To be honest I think you are worrying over nothing.   The structure is not permeant and would be classes as an outbuilding.  And if the people either side of you reported it to the council and an inspector came out I don't think they would issue you with an order to take it down over a few centimetres.  If it did require planning permission on that technicality chances are it would be retrospective.   

If you are really, really bothered then remove and relay the base so its at ground level rather than proud so that it sits less than 2.5m 

that makes perfect sense. Thank you! I will just carry on with setting it up and see where it goes  

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! 

[malc-c]

Councils these days are strapped so if your observatory did breach the regs due to being a couple of inches too tall I can't see them wasting resources when there are bigger fish to catch.  The requirement is really there to prevent people building unregulated extensions or operating a commercial business from a dedicated building that covers most of your garden etc.

My observatory is more permeant than yours, with a deep foundation, dwarf wall and is 4.8m x 2m.  Its on a slope so with the roof closed the apex at the high point is 2.54m - I didn't bother seeking permission and its been standing for 10 years now and never had an issue.  With yours being a commercial product you don't have any means to reduce the height (other than the base which has already been poured), so you could claim ignorance if it did get reported.  Just get on and build it  ! 

[tomato]

I agree that you shouldn’t be too concerned. I had to get permission from the builder (new estate) to put mine up as there was a clause in the covenants about outbuildings but have never had any comment from the neighbours. With it being green my main concern was that somebody would chuck a load of empty bottles in there if I left the shutter open during the day.☺️
 

[varius21]

1 minute ago, tomato said:

I agree that you shouldn’t be too concerned. I had to get permission from the builder (new estate) to put mine up as there was a clause in the covenants about outbuildings but have never had any comment from the neighbours. With it being green my main concern was that somebody would chuck a load of empty bottles in there if I left the shutter open during the day.☺️
 

your comment for the bottles made me chuckle. I had never thought of it thatway! 😂
Your obsy looks pretty sweet there in the corner! Thank you for the comment!

[Tomatobro]

best advice is don't call the planning office. They don't have a clue and their default position is to always say no when they are unsure how the regs should be interpreted

 

[Franklin]

20 hours ago, varius21 said:

I hope my neighbour won’t get close to the fence and start measuring.

Get a German Shepherd like @malc-c, that should deter them.

[CraigT82]

48 minutes ago, tomato said:

I agree that you shouldn’t be too concerned. I had to get permission from the builder (new estate) to put mine up as there was a clause in the covenants about outbuildings but have never had any comment from the neighbours. With it being green my main concern was that somebody would chuck a load of empty bottles in there if I left the shutter open during the day.☺️
 

Tidy 👍🏼

[Carbon Brush]

Continuing......

A lot of councils now use contract building inspectors instead of their own people. People who can say things and there is little redress.
In my case an inspector insisted on creating problems. A garage floor had to be 30cm thick generally and thicker (I forget by how much) at the edges.
This was thicker than the house floors! By the way the garage contains cars - not lorries and buses. No I don't live on land known for instability.
A 2M-ish high wall linking the garage to the house was not good enough at 600mm foundation.
It had to go to 1.2M! Yes a 2M wall carrying only it's own weight with foundations going 4ft below ground!😡
It was easier to spend the £££ on additional building work and keep the projects moving. The alternative being to bring in a structural engineer and spend ££££ to argue.
With the benefit of hindsight, I would have used my own building inspector from day 1 (yes this is allowed).
If I am paying the piper, I have some control over the tune.

This is in part why I suggested checking the guidance on the council web site and acting on that.

Noting the comment about a builders covenant. My thought is stuff 'em.
By my uderstanding, a covenant along these lines is simply a source of income for the lawyers.
The person who sets up the covenant, or their successor in title, would have to demonstrate that your failure to comply was a detriment to them.
So if you bought the first house on the estate and kept your cows and horses behind corrugated iron sheets and orgainsed raves every weekend, it would make it difficult for the bnuilder to sell the remaining house.
In this case the builder can pay his lawyers a visit.
But, if the builder has gone to the next job after selling all the houses, no problem. You cannot do him commercial harm.
However, the covenant remains with your house paperwork for ever.
Earning money for the lawyers every time the house changes hands they read it £££ and explain to you, more £££.🤔

To conclude. Free advice from unqualified people is worth what you pay for it😁

HTH, David.

 

[tomato]

1 hour ago, Carbon Brush said:

So if you bought the first house on the estate and kept your cows and horses behind corrugated iron sheets and orgainsed raves every weekend, it would make it difficult for the bnuilder to sell the remaining house.

 

That would be my next-door neighbour. I just do Astrophotography.