Michael,There are indeed plenty of people whose back gardens are overlooked who accept the situation - absolutely, what legal recourse do they have to prevent this - none usually, and rightly so. However when people build extensions, the planning people do consider whether other people's privacy is significantly infringed on - as an example in my neighbourhood there have been plenty of extensions where an outside area has been created high up as part of the project, and the council have insisted on frosted glass rather than normal transparent glass so people sitting out on their new terraces can't directly see into other people's gardens (the thinking being that you are more likely to spend time sitting out on your terrace compared to sitting by an open window perhaps, so it's appropriate to mitigate against the increased loss of privacy).You asked what evidence I had of any law breaking - I answered I had none, but thought it likely to be occuring.I hadn't really gathered that the neighbouring premises seem to be commercial rather than residential, but now I've realised this, it makes it more likely that there are legal obligations that do need to be fulfilled.It sounds as if the CCTV installation is likely to be a security installation, and there really isn't much point in having CCTV unless you record the images, so there are legal aspects that have no connection with whether or not there is a nearby window that overlooks the garden.The organisation I work for had CCTV cameras, I think they were installed on public land (it may have been private land, I'm not sure), but regardless of that the public had unfettered access to a lot of the land that was covered by the CCTV cameras. All the cameras had information on the posts they were on as to who was operating the cameras, who the data controller was etc.I can understand a domestic installation being in breach of the law, and in most cases I can't imagine the police being too bothered about unintentional breaches, but a commercial installation should do better.Saying you could just install a screen is ridiculous. What if the camera is high up and to the south of the garden - should you have to install a screen that blocks out a lot of your sunlight to ensure your desire to have a bit of privacy?Is Arnie a 'difficult' neighbour - she doesn't sound like one to me, but I don't know her, so 'possibly'she could be, but I think you'd be in a minority of those reading and contributing to this thread who think that way.
Andrew Jones ● 1553d