Island Life Magazine Ltd October/ November 2012 | Page 83

COUNTRY LIFE

Countryliving
Free for all for home extensions?
The Government recently announced plans to

to roughly six metres (and eight metres for

make it possible for homeowners to be able to

detached homes) though with certain provisos.

extend their properties without going through

Around 2,000 ‘householder’ applications

the arduous, expensive and time-consuming

are made each year for conservatories, rear

process of obtaining full planning permission.

extensions and garage conversions. These

The intention is to relax for a period of three

and typically cost £150 in application fees with

storey extensions to homes which are not

professional costs of several thousands of

Listed or not in Conservation Areas, Areas of

pounds on top.

Outstanding Natural Beauty etc.

Leading property
expert Sam Biles
takes a look at how
the Government’s
latest initiative will
affect Island homes

make up 45 per cent of all planning applications

years permitted development rights for single

The hope is that these changes will boost

It typically takes months from the first
drawings to consent and can be a very trying

the economy by providing work for builders

process as officers struggling with their

and free homeowners from needless red tape.

workload seek to impose their, often subjective,

The extensions will of course require Building

design views on applicants. Over 90 per cent

Regulation approval but otherwise should free

of applications are approved which beggars the

up resources in Local Planning Authorities.

question as to the need for a formal consent

The existing policy already allows exemption
for single storey rear extensions of less than

process.
Not everyone is in favour; architects are

three metres from the rear wall for terraced

concerned that they will lose business;

and semi-detached houses (four metres for

planners are concerned for their jobs and local

detached houses) and this would be doubled

authorities at the potential loss of revenue from
the planning application fees. Neighbours will
similarly be concerned that unsightly flat-roofed
extensions will pop up everywhere,
Estate Agents may fear that homeowners
will extend rather than move, further limiting
the number of sales in an already-depressed
market. However, anyone who has tried to
extend a property will recognise that the old
system had plenty of room for improvement.

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