The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include the following additional information:

• 25/04/2013: Royal Assent - On 25 April 2013, the Growth and Infrastructure Bill was granted Royal Assent, and became the "Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013" (link to Act) (link to press release).
• 23/04/2013: Letter from Nick Boles to the Chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee about the revised version of the proposed changes to Part 1 of the GPDO (pdf) (link).

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include the following additional information:

• 23/04/2013: House of Commons, consideration of the amendment by the House of Lords ("Ping Pong") - On 23 April 2013, the House of Commons decided to agree with the latest amendment to the Growth and Infrastructure Bill by the House of Lords. This means that the proposals to allow Part 1 of the GPDO to include circumstances in which the owner would need to submit a prior approval application to the local authority have now been agreed by both Houses. During the debate, Michael Fallon (Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) confirmed the following about the proposals:
  - "A home owner wishing to build an extension will write to the local planning authority providing plans and a written description of the proposal. The local authority will then notify the adjoining neighbours—for example, the owners or occupiers of properties that share a boundary, including those at the rear. Those neighbours will have 21 days in which to make an objection, the same period as under existing planning rules. If no neighbours object, the home owner will be able to proceed. If any neighbour raises an objection, the local authority will then consider whether the impact of the proposed extension on the amenity of neighbours is acceptable".
  - "No planning fee will be levied on the home owner making the notification".
  - "If approval is not given, the home owner will be able to appeal against a refusal, or may wish to submit a full planning application. As with normal planning consents, neighbours will not be able to appeal against a grant of permission".
  - "I can confirm that this does not apply to conservation areas, and that the ability of a local authority to use an article 4 direction is not impaired by the changes we are making."
  - "I can confirm that [existing permitted development rights are not in any way affected by this new procedure]". (link).

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include the following additional information:

• 22/04/2013: House of Lords, consideration of the disagreement by the House of Commons ("Ping Pong") - On 22/04/2013, the House of Lords decided to remove their previous amendment to the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, and to accept a replacement amendment proposed by Baroness Hanham (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government).  This replacement amendment to the Bill would insert a new clause that would amend the TCPA 1990 to allow Part 1 of the GPDO to include circumstances in which the owner would need to submit a prior approval application to the local authority.  The amendment specifies that the submitted information would need to include "a written description, and a plan, of the proposed development", that the local authority would serve notice "on the owner or occupier of any adjoining premises", and that if one of these owners or occupiers objects then the planning permission granted by the GPDO will apply "only if the local planning authority consider that it would not have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of adjoining premises" (link).
• 22/04/2013: Letter from the Chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee to Eric Pickles about the revised version of the proposed changes to Part 1 of the GPDO (pdf) (link to letter) (link to press release).
• 22/04/2013: BBC - Peers back revised home extension plan (link).

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include the following additional information:

• Latest: The below issues are currently due to return to the House of Lords on 22/04/2013 for further debate.
• 19/04/2013: Letter from Eric Pickles to MPs - On 19/04/2013, Eric Pickles wrote a letter to MPs setting out the revised version of the proposed changes to Part 1 of the GPDO.  According to this letter:
  "- Homeowners wishing to build extensions under the new powers would notify their local council with the details.
  - The council would then inform the adjoining neighbours – this already happens for planning applications.
  - If no objections are made to the council by the neighbours within a set period, the development can proceed.
  - If objections are raised by neighbours, the council will consider whether the development would have an unacceptable impact on neighbours’ amenity.
  - This is a form of ‘prior approval’ process which allows for consideration by ward councillors, and (if the council wishes) by a Planning Committee.
  - There will be no fee for householders to go through this process." (pdf) (link).
• 19/04/2013: BBC - Eric Pickles amends home extension plans (link).
• 18/04/2013: BBC - Defeat possible on home extension plan, warns MP (link).

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include the following additional information:

• 16/04/2013: House of Commons, consideration of the amendment by the House of Lords ("Ping Pong") - On 16/04/2013, the House of Commons decided to disagree with the amendment to the Growth and Infrastructure Bill by the House of Lords, following assurances made by Eric Pickles (Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government) during the debate that the proposed changes to Part 1 of the GPDO would be "revised" (link).
• 16/04/2013: BBC - Eric Pickles promises a 'revised approach' to home extension plan (link).
• 16/04/2013: BBC - Planning rules changes criticised by Conservative MP (link).
• 16/04/2013: BBC - Planning relaxation 'will bring neighbour disputes' (link).

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include the following additional information:

• 26/03/2013: House of Lords, 3rd Reading - Although the Growth and Infrastructure Bill did not initially cover the proposed changes to Part 1 of the GPDO, on 26/03/2013 the House of Lords decided to amend the Growth and Infrastructure Bill by inserting a new clause that would amend the TCPA 1990 to allow local authorities to opt-out of any development order made after 01/01/2013 that grants planning permission for development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse. This amendment (which was subsequently removed) would have meant that any future changes to Part 1 of the GPDO would not apply within the jurisdiction of any local authority that has "resolved" that the changes shall not apply (link).
• 27/03/2013: BBC - "Lords defeat 'won't change home extensions plan'" (link).

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated as follows:

• A "Quick Summary" has been added to the top of the page.
• A link has been added to a "Commons Library Standard Note" (updated 02/01/2013), which provides a decent summary of the proposals.
• The format of the page has been significantly amended.

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - terrace houses - 3m extensions versus 6m extensions" document on the "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated, so that it now includes illustrations for both a typical 1930s Council house and a typical Victorian row of terraces.

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include include a link to the report by the Commons Select Committee.

This committee was appointed by the House of Commons to examine the administration, expenditure, and policy of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) .  In October 2012, this committee took oral evidence from Mark Prisk MP (Minister for Housing) and from Nick Boles MP (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Planning).  This committee also took written evidence from approx 40 organisations.

On 20/12/2012, this committee published its report, the conclusions of which are as follows: Continue reading →

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include a link to the central government consultation, which runs for 6 weeks until 24/12/2012.

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include links to the Commons Select Committee “Planning, housing and growth” inquiry.

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include a rough document (produced by Planning Jungle Limited) that illustrates the differences on terrace houses between 3m extensions (current limit) and 6m extensions (proposed limit).

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page has been updated to include additional links to newspaper articles.

The "GPDO Part 1 Class A (Larger Rear Extensions) - Background Information" page provides information about the proposed system of larger rear extensions under Part 1 Class A of the GPDO, with an emphasis on information provided by central government.