New reforms to the Town and Country Planning Act of 1990 (Amended Regulations 2019) mean that homeowners can now extend their properties easily and quickly without the need for a full planning application. You can read more about the reforms in our previous post on the matter here.
Previously, extended permitted development rights allowed for a single-storey rear extension on a property of up to 6 metres for terraced or semi-detached homes, or 8 metres for detached homes. This temporary right has now been made permanent with the introduction of reforms to the law under the new 2019 Amended Regulations. Instead of a full planning application, homeowners can send a simple letter to the local planning authority to show whether there will be an impact on neighbours – if not, the extensions can go ahead.
However this right does not apply in Article 2(3) land (including conservation areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty, the Broads, National Parks and World Heritage Sites) or in sites of special scientific interest. For these situations we can help with the more specific planning work, so contact us to find out more.
All of the work we do is based around our values, especially being as environmentally conscious as possible. As such, we hope that the reduced time and cost needed for these types of extensions will mean more effort can be placed on their environmental impact and ensuring the least amount of damage to biodiversity.
We offer a comprehensive range of ecology and landscape services to both public and private sector clients to help design developments and other schemes that are sensitive to the needs of wildlife, landscape and habitats. We help our clients protect and conserve local and global environmental resources. We have been successful in securing standard and bespoke environmental permits and have an excellent working relationship with the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.
If you are thinking about any extensions to your home, get in contact with us and we will be happy to discuss all aspects of the work. You can also reach us on Twitter and on LinkedIn.