U-turn for loft conversion rules

January 9, 2008 by kotoman

Good news for anyone considering a loft conversion: you may not need planning permission, following a government U-turn last week.

pressure from home improvers and builders has forced ministers to rethink plans that would have restricted all but the most modest loft conversions, at a time when increasing numbers of homeowners are extending their properties rather than face the high cost of moving.

Proposals in the planning white paper published in May would have required homeowners to seek approval for loft conversions unless they were built to the rear of the property and set in by one metre of the eaves. The idea was to hide unsightly windows and maintain neighbourly privacy, but critics said it would spell the end to such conversions in smaller houses.The plans were hidden in the small print of the white paper, which was hailed as a shake-up in planning laws to fast-track large-scale projects — such as power stations — while making it easier to improve homes.

Now, after a campaign by the building industry, the Planning Reform Bill, published last week, allows loft conversions to extend to within 20cm of the eaves, which allows for a bigger room and makes them viable in smaller properties. No permission is needed for conversions of up to 50 cubic metres, provided that the top stays at the existing roof level.

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB), which represents 13,000 traders, has praised the government’s change of heart. “We are pleased that it has removed these restrictions, which would have made it harder for owners to expand homes,” says Richard Diment, its director-general.

Current permitted development rules allow the space in a semi-detached house to be increased by 70 cubic metres, including 50 cubic metres for a loft conversion, without seeking approval. In practice, this means that many householders have had to choose between converting the loft or building an extension if they want to avoid planners.

In future, as a result of the new bill, each proposal will be considered separately, and kitchens and conservatories can be extended by three metres in depth, whether or not the loft has been converted.

This is good news for homeowners. Soaring stamp duty, rising mortgage fees and overheated house prices have driven the trend for building lofts to gain extra space.

Figures from the Nationwide building society show a loft conversion can add 20% to the value of a home, especially if it incorporates an extra bedroom and bathroom. The cost of such work starts at £15,000, but can hit £70,000 or more. The cost of a routine planning application is £1,000, and planners deal with about 350,000 domestic applications a year. The changes contained in the bill are expected to cut that figure by 90,000.

source: times