Red tape lifted on home extensions

Red tape that requires home owners to obtain planning permission before building an extension will be scrapped by the government.

Housing minister Caroline Flint has laid new planning regulations before parliament that will free up people’s ability to convert lofts and plan extensions without council permission.

The new rules will come in on 1 October and could remove a quarter of all household applications from the choked planning system.

The government said about 80,000 applications would be removed from the system each year, potentially saving £50m a year.

Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said the new rules might help boost business for builders.

“At a time when the building industry is suffering from the credit crunch, anything that makes it easier for householders to get work done to their home can only be a good thing for builders,” he said.

“Over recent months builders have seen a dramatic fall in the number of consumer enquiries. Hopefully these changes will generate more work and help stave off the downturn in the building sector.”