WHAT A PANE
My neighbour’s home is built so close my window smashes into their door every time I open it… it’s a disgrace
A HOMEOWNER says a new house is being built so close to her own that she can open her window and touch the neighbour's door.
Niki Caira, 39, was horrified to discover the swanky £350k property was just INCHES away from hers.
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The horrified mum measured the distance between her home and her neighbour's house in Fife, Scotland.
The mum-of-seven was appalled to discover there were just two metres between her roof and the new property.
Stark footage shows just how close the two houses are - with Nikki branding the development an "eyesore".
Niki - who lives in the house with her kids, her husband and her mum - said she feels stressed whenever she looks out the window.
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She told the : "We absolutely loved our home, but now I just feel stressed every time I look out of my windows.
"We have absolutely zero privacy now. I can't even sit on my toilet without worrying that I'm going to be exposing myself or that someone is going to be looking in at me or my children.
"I just have to open the window and I can actually touch next door's house. It's ridiculous."
The family objected to the planning application for the property - but it went ahead regardless.
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Fife Council Service manager Alastair Hamilton said the house complied with planning rules.
And KJJ Properties and businessman Alex Penman - who are developing the homes - also said the building is allowed.
Mr Hamilton added: "Any boundary disputes are private legal issues for the parties to resolve. Land ownership is not related to the granting of planning permission.
“The building will have to comply with current building regulations and this will be checked before a Completion Certificate is accepted for the work.”
Solicitor Robert F MacDonald - who is acting on behalf of the developers - said: "We understand that development on adjoining land can cause feelings among neighbours to run high, however my client’s are satisfied that they have complied with all the relevant planning and building control requirements in respect of the two properties which are currently being erected at this site.
We absolutely loved our home, but now I just feel stressed every time I look out of my windows.
Niki Caira
"This is a former brown field site which had lain empty for many years.
"Mr and Mrs Caira had the opportunity to take part in the planning process and they expressed their views to the planning authority at that time.
"No doubt these were taken into account by the Fife Council in reaching their decision.
"Mr and Mrs Caira did have the opportunity to appeal the planning decision but did not do so.
"Slightly unusually, Mr and Mrs Caria’s property is built directly on the boundary between the two pieces of land.
"All the building work however has been conducted by my clients on ground owned by Mr Penman.
"There is sufficient room between the two houses for the scaffolding to be erected, and for access to repairs to either property in future if required.
"We understand that during the course of the scaffolding being erected the scaffolders asked Mrs Caira if a window (which opens over land belonging to our client) could be closed slightly to enable them to erect the scaffolding.
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"The existence of the scaffolding does not prevent Mrs Caira from opening her window.
"Once the work has been completed there will be a 1.3 metre gap between the walls of the new build and Mr and Mrs Caira's house, which of course exceeds the statutory minimum."
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