Sorry to say this but I feel part of living in a city is being aware and respectful of neighbours. Good on you for at least consulting them first. We are currently going though a very stressful similar situation but our neighbours are building. They did not give us the courtesy of even telling us and are selling one of the duplexes they are building, which happens to be the biggest and most imposing one & on our side. It is totally taking away our privacy, looking into our kitchen & living area and whole backyard. Plus the only outdoor eating area is only 1mtre from our deck off our kitchen. It is horrible, stressful and we feel we will be forced to sell our lovely home we have been in for 20 years. My advice is move - buy a house which suits your needs as your neighbour will hate you forever and object to everything they can. Not sure where you live but in Australia you have to get an architect/drafts person to draw up overshadowing plans. Please be nice to them, it is stressful and could cause them to become very ill.

Kitchen design looks great! I'm pretty sure we can offer some expertise on Lighting for your consideration. Firstly totally agree with you partner that a grid of recessed light looks a tad boring. If you do opt for recessed a more modern and practical way to use them would be to use them in a row against your high cabinets, just in front of them. This will not only show off your featured cabinets but also bring some much needed light to the ovens and in cupboards. I'd urge that you do have lights above the peninsular. Take your point that you don't want to block out the view or features but smaller pendants in a row are good, https://www.lightingcompany.co.uk/original-btc-fin-natural-white-bone-china-pendant-with-braided-flex-p11330 maybe glass so they are not to heavy and solid looking. https://www.lightingcompany.co.uk/the-lighting-collection-empire-ceiling-pendant-with-antique-brass-suspension-and-clear-glass-shade-p10433 If you looked at the website? You may notice we are running a sale just over Easter weekend, if timing is right for your project, it could be a good time to bag a bargain! If not sign up for the newsletters as we'll let you know when there's promotions or discounts available. Also you will get a FREE quarterly magazine sent to you inbox. This is the copy of the latest https://issuu.com/lighting-uk/docs/into_the_light_spring_2017/1?ff=true&e=8047055/45589588 You'll find lots of inspiration in here. If you just fancy chatting it through you project with one of our experts, we have a chat function on the website LightingCompany.co.uk which is really simple to use or email sales@lightingcompany.co.uk As far as positioning task lights should go above tables countertops etc. If you have recessed place them just in front of you tall cabinets groups of 3 or 5 in a straight row. If you can switch different circuits separately, if you can't use dimmer switches where possible. Stick to a common theme between you lights e.g.: same colour metal or similar style but they do not need to be all the same. In a larger open plan area different lighting help things look interesting and zone the area's. Above you table you'll need a light but if the light hangs in front of the TV that will not be so good, reflections will drive you crazy. You didn't mention ceiling height but we do have lights for the tallest and shortest ceilings. Do speak to us, we do so much that may interest you, we have thousands of options and can even make lights in your choice of colour, maybe to match the colour of your kitchen? What an exciting project and a chance to be creative with you lighting, you are doing the right thing thinking about alternative to a grid of spotlights. Did this help or not really? Good Luck with it all and remember we are happy to help. Contact us.

In planning terms there is a 45 dec rule i.e draw a 45 dec horizontal line from the centre of the nearest first floor window of your neighbors house towards your house and your first floor extension should not pass this line

I think the above comments are all really valid regarding sloping the roof of the extension and joining the existing and new with glazing. This is a really nice way to bring some light into the middle area - adding a window here is also worthwhile if possible if you are end of terrace. The Planners may allow you to have a view out as well as light as long as it is not overlooking. Your current lantern location also doesn't align with either the dining table or island, which may look a little off balance. Also remember to consider the location of any lighting so it doesn't clash with your glazing; pendants and spotlights as these will be what give you ambience and should provide atmosphere and task lighting. We did a similar project recently, extending an existing victorian terrace to house a kitchen/diner. We actually added flat roof lights along the long wall, giving natural light and views over the kitchen workspace and dining area. Would you like a half hour interior design consultation for some friendly one-to-one advice? We have a couple of slots each week for £125+vat. The consultation includes a friendly video chat to talk through your space and discuss your project ideas and needs. I follow up the video call with digital moodboards tailored to your budget, a layout suggestion and product recommendations. I will also follow up with a phone call.