Unequivocally, No. Having had detailed experience of the process for several years while on the Town Council, extensions normally get waved through unless they are seriously out of keeping with the street scene, or represent gargantuan over-development. I believe the LGA have confirmed this.
It is simply naive or disingenuous to pretend this will make a ha’peth of difference to the economy. As the LGA has said, there is a massive backlog of extensions which have been given permission already, but which the owners have not bothered to build yet (perhaps because they need money to do so).
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September 6, 2012 at 9:35 am
Sadly this seems like the worst of all worlds because the ones that will be built are the ones that will have the worst impact on their neighbours and which would not have got permission under the old rules and indeed presumably under future rules if they are reinstated!
September 6, 2012 at 9:50 am
I might be wrong, but I think the LGA were refering to new build homes (400,000) not extensions?
September 6, 2012 at 9:58 am
I agree completely on this and have reservations about the proposals on the development policies announced this morning generally. While not supporting nimbyism, it is important to protect local residents in town or country from the less scrupulous developers. Leaving aside the point made by many this morning that the problem is finance not planning restrictions, do we support less protection for communities against developers (who may well just sell the land on without building) and less protection for Green Belt? I say that as someone who has just supported a new development opposite where I live! Great blog BTW.
September 6, 2012 at 10:07 am
A recent report stated that many neighbours hardly speak to each other. Start to create your own “conversation in the community” by building what you like.
September 7, 2012 at 12:59 am
The black market will be wringing their hands with glee.