Why you shouldn't extend basements in old buildings...

According to a previous resident the building didn't have a basement when she lived there in the 80s. Lol
 
According to a previous resident the building didn't have a basement when she lived there in the 80s. Lol
Its the latest "fashion" in London, if you can't get planning permission to go up, excavate down wards, I'm not sure that requires planning permission?

The first time I heard about this, a year or so back, I thought at the time, sooner or later one is gonna come crashing down
 
What a waste of a lovely old Georgian house. Hopefully the planners will only allow something of equivalent architectural merit in it's place.
 
It does indeed require planning permission.
 
This is not the first one to go down like this, the mega basements have a lot to answer for, especially as usually the really mess with the neighbours property too :(
 
It should be a requirement of the planning permission that they pay for structural surveys before and after for neighbours.
 
Architecture is very subjective but there is nothing worse than a new build that tries to look like an old building.

Oh yeah the abomination that is the Barrett Mock Tudor of the 1990's
 
Architecture is very subjective but there is nothing worse than a new build that tries to look like an old building.
Indeed, which is why I said equivalent merit not bad copy!
 
Makes you wonder what sort of cowboy firms these people are employing to do the work?
 
Apologies for posting a Daily Mail link, but there's a massive 1903 comments on this story and basements seem to be a big issue for those in "That London"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Thames-collapsed-caving-like-tower-cards.html

At least the pictures are better quality than on the BBC site.
Though, you do wonder where the DM stole them from, afterall, if they are happy to re-appropriate the google street view image without attribution
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4...4!1sNv0wjv0MpB_fhRVj43nMXA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
vs
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015...before_midday_to_the_-a-154_1448556547257.jpg
then who else have they 'borrowed' from?
 
Makes you wonder what sort of cowboy firms these people are employing to do the work?
Indeed, and also what the value is of the council and building regs where if on small projects they are all over you, and for stuff like this this happens. Then again accidents can happen.
 
Makes you wonder what sort of cowboy firms these people are employing to do the work?

Problem is until they start digging they're not going to be 100% certain what's actually there.

Scans and surveys only tell so much, but if there's a minor fault or weakness that they hit then bye-bye building
 
This is not the first one to go down like this, the mega basements have a lot to answer for, especially as usually the really mess with the neighbours property too :(
I heard that the Beckhams are currently involved in legal action after extending their Mayfair house downwards. The neighbours aren't happy apparently.
 
I heard that the Beckhams are currently involved in legal action after extending their Mayfair house downwards. The neighbours aren't happy apparently.

Hardly surprising...seems a lot of them go that way..

It actually raises an interesting question to me about the legality and permissions, as strictly speaking you only own the rights to something like the first 10 foot below your property, thus do the people doing this have to obtain special permission over and above planning permission since they would be building into land that they don't actually own?
 
as strictly speaking you only own the rights to something like the first 10 foot below your property,
Interesting point, so people that drill for oil on their land ( several 100 feet down) may not actually own that oil.
I wonder who legally owns the earth 20 feet below your house,
a test case would be interesting.
 
Interesting point, so people that drill for oil on their land ( several 100 feet down) may not actually own that oil.
I wonder who legally owns the earth 20 feet below your house,
a test case would be interesting.



Mines and Minerals
Under the common law of England and Wales, all mines and minerals which lie beneath the soil of the land owned by the landowner belongs absolutely to the landowner. There are a few exceptions to this rule I.e. coal ( by which S.9 Coal Industry Act 1994 vests in the coal Authority). All the rights in petroleum including mineral oil and natural gas found beneath or on a landowners property are property of the crown under S.2 Petroleum Act 1998. The Crown is also entitled to all gold and silver found in gold and silver mines on or beneath anyone’s property.

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/land-law/land-ownership.htm#
 
Hum would be interesting to see how it was left so structurally unsound. I mean, if it happened to be old, struggling to be amended then if it happens to collapse, required rebuilding...
Any furniture or belongings in that collapsed building?
 
Under the common law of England and Wales, all mines and minerals which lie beneath the soil of the land owned by the landowner belongs absolutely to the landowner.
Cool (y)

All the rights in petroleum including mineral oil and natural gas found beneath or on a landowners property are property of the crown under S.2 Petroleum Act 1998. The Crown is also entitled to all gold and silver found in gold and silver mines on or beneath anyone’s property.
Now why am I not surprised at that bit?
 
Back
Top