A flagship Tory council is opposing the coalition’s plan to allow householders to build larger extensions without the need for planning permission, warning that the measure would be ‘permanently damaging to our built environment’, while the Liberal Democrat-run London Borough of Sutton has also joined the revolt!
The Conservative-led London Borough of Richmond upon Thames said it would bid to ‘stop’ the proposal by writing to the government to explain why it opposes the measure, and that the council would ask Twickenham MP and business secretary Vince Cable to ‘call a stop to these measures’.
Richmond council’s Conservative deputy leader Geoffrey Samuel told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One that the move would be ‘deeply unpopular’ with many residents.
‘This would double the size of the extension that can be built and give neighbours no opportunity whatsoever to have their say.
‘Many people who live next to a neighbour who wants to extend will feel their privacy has been invaded and their human right to enjoy their own homes in peace has been infringed.’
He said the council would trawl through any government guidelines ‘with a fine tooth comb’ and look to ‘interpret’ them in a way that would be of ‘greater benefit’ to residents.
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