Truckloads Of Passive-Aggressiveness

Behind my house, there’s an area reserved for garages. Plans were drawn in 1968, and only three of the eighteen allocated plots have had a garage built. The remaining have a cement base and we park there. 

As spaces are narrow (2.4m wall to wall), and brick garages are expensive. I think of having a pre-built one installed for a quarter of the cost.

A neighbour the same street sees me taking measurements.

Neighbour: “Are you putting a garage up?”

Me: “Yes.”

Neighbour: “Have you gotten planning permission?”

Me: *Confused* “No, don’t think I need it.”

It turns out I do.

Neighbour: “I will call the planning permission people after you have the garage installed, then.”

After looking into it and confirming I do need to apply for planning permission (at an extra cost) I am a bit annoyed. All I wanted was a place to use a storage, and here’s this guy being kind of passive-aggressive with his comments. The reason is actually he wants to buy some of the plots near mine but no one wants to sell them to him. 

I can be very petty. So I bought a rundown Luton van and had it parked there, sorn (Statutory Off Road Notification – basically had it declared non-drivable and moveable) and started using it as storage.

No planning permission required!