Protective councils could stop younger families from converting single-storey dwellings
Councils are blocking families from extending bungalows to protect the elderly.
In August 2020, the Government introduced new rules which allow homeowners to expand single-storey dwellings upwards without planning permission.
This allows a bungalow, for example, to be extended upwards by 3.5 metres in roof height, allowing an extra floor to be added.
But councils such as Epping Forest and Hertsmere Borough have introduced “protections” which block extensions in an effort to stem the flow of conversions and preserve the number of single-storey homes for older people who may struggle with stairs.