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The authority is to tell the
Government the plans – for extensions like conservatories - could harm
neighbourhoods.
Ministers want to extend the
depth of single-storey extensions which need council permission from four to
eight metres for most detached houses and three to six metres for other houses.
Larger extensions would also
be allowed for business premises.
The council’s response – to
be agreed tomorrow – says: “This council does not support the extension to
permitted development rights as the intended benefits are not of sufficient
scale and certainty to outweigh the potential harm caused to neighbours and
wider communities which are not otherwise adequately safeguarded.”
It urges “alternative means
of boosting the economy by encouraging building projects be pursued through
fiscal measures, for instance reducing or suspending VAT on extensions”.
In October, councillors
warned the plans could “potentially lead to neighbour disputes by removing the
right to object and could result in unsightly and inappropriate development”.
The Government has said the current rules involve “complicated forms” and a decision can take eight weeks,
although 90 per cent are approved.
It says: “The application
process adds costs and delays, and in many cases adds little value.”
The plan means householders “will
be able to undertake home improvements to cater for a growing family or look
after an elderly relative without unnecessary costs and bureaucracy”.
It would also benefit the
building industry, it said. The new rules would not apply on protected areas,
such as conservation areas, which cover part of Knowle.
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