Temporary planning permissions were made permanent by parliament in England allowing many plans now to be fast-tracked. These temporary rules have doubled since 2014, allowing over 100,000 homeowners to go through with their extension and remodelling plans without needing permission from local authorities.

Single story extensions can build upward extensions to 6m for terraced and semi-detached homes. While detached houses are allowed larger extensions of 8m, allowing families in urban or semi-urban areas to grow and not be forced to move home. These extensions can be made without the permission of local authorities. Instead, a notice beforehand is given to local authorities so they may notify the property neighbours of their plans. In the event that a neighbour has objections to the extension plans, the local authority will decide whether the extension harms the character or enjoyment of the property area.

With these new laws, small business owners can convert the use of their buildings from takeaways or small shops to new homes or office spaces without a full planning application. Businesses on the high street such as shops, offices, and betting shops are allowed to temporarily change the use of their building for community purposes such as libraries or public halls. To make this change permanent, a full planning application would still be needed. This change allows the process to be fast-tracked by allowing the change to begin while the full application is under review.

Additional measures were made to help the housing market such as granting ministers new power to seize unused land and giving automatic planning permission on all suitable brownfield sites. This provides acres of land for homeowners and house builders on which to build their dream homes, aiming in a package of reform to have 300,000 homes delivered each year by the mid-2020s.

Arc Design Services can provide you with expert advice on whether your dream home planning extensions are within these new laws. Visit us at www.arcdesignservices.net or call 0161 928 4433.