Very true. To be honest, even for a significant fee, I wouldn’t grant them access to our property. Their extension plans are ridiculous- almost doubling the size of their house on a plot which isn’t really big enough. They’re going to be left with a tiny garden. We’d already decided that we wouldn’t grant them access to our property for the building of the extension (scaffolding etc) since, as far as I’m aware, once granted this sets a precedent and can’t be refused in future, thus potentially devaluing our property.
it surprising they got PP.
on another note, they’ve been very silly because when embarking on such a project you always mitigate any potential showstoppers first. You do not pay out for planning permission, building regs, sewer undertaker applications first.
Unless they’ve deliberately left until the last moment to put maximum pressure you, which emotional blackmail.