Planning warning to homeowners as DIY renovation season gets underway » Housing » 24dash.com

Homeowners will spend more than £1.6bn on major alterations to their homes this summer, according to the Royal Town Planning Institute, which is stressing the need to gain planning permission where necessary before undertaking structural renovations.

Easter is the unofficial start of the renovation season and more than 160,000 homeowners are expected to start the kinds of improvements over the next six months which require planning permission. On average they’ll spend £10,320 each.

The RTPI is stressing the need to gain good advice before commencing home improvements, particularly as the number of first-time renovators is predicted to increase as a result of the credit crunch, with more people choosing to renovate rather than relocate this year.

Most home-owners can do some minor works to their homes without planning permission – a process called ‘permitted development’.

However, some types of homes, like flats or historic buildings, or homes in areas where the local council has introduced special controls, may have few or no permitted development rights.

People who start work without checking first can get themselves into difficulties. Last year enforcement notices for breaches of planning guidelines were issued to around 2,700 home improvers.

In most cases rectifying a breach of planning control will add significantly to the cost of completing a project and, in some cases, can lead to a fine or an order demanding the owner undo the renovation and return the premises to its previous form.

The RTPI says this can be avoided by seeking the proper advice before launching into renovations.  

RTPI Policy Director, Rynd Smith, said: “We’re expecting an increase in the number of householder planning applications for relatively minor works this year as the effects of the credit crunch filter through and more homeowners choose to renovate and extend rather than relocate.

"This means a lot of people will be getting their first taste of the planning system and it is important that they are aware of their obligations.

“As a general rule if you think your renovations are going to have an impact on your neighbours or significantly alter the structure or size of your home then you’re going to need planning permission. But there are a number of circumstances where different rules apply.

"The bottom line is that it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Running your ideas past a professional planner before launching into home improvements can be quite economical and save you a lot of grief and money down the line.

"Knocking a wall down is a hell of a lot cheaper and easier than putting it back up so it’s a good idea to know how the rules apply to you before you start swinging the sledge hammer.”