A review of the planning rules to cut red tape for home improvements was announced by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott this week.

The Householder Development Consents Review aims to minimise bureaucracy for householders and local councils, while protecting neighbours’ interests and the local environment.

Planning applications from householders have almost doubled over the last ten years, with more than 330,000 between March 2003 and March 2004. Many of these applications are for modest improvements such as rear extensions and dormer windows.

The Deputy Prime Minister said: “Householders and their neighbours need a fair, transparent and straight forward planning system. Simple home improvements should not require unnecessary bureaucracy that frustrates everyone involved."

“We must find ways to cut the red tape that currently affects thousands of householders and local authority planners. I'm announcing this review to advise me on what changes need to be made to achieve this.”

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the review would not compromise the role the planning system had to play in protecting the interests of neighbours and the quality of the local built and natural environment.

The Householder Development Consents Review will look at:

• Whether the current limits on the sort of improvements that householders can make without planning permission are the right ones.
• Ways to consult neighbours at an earlier stage so that, where possible, disagreements can be resolved without involving local authorities.
• How to simplify and speed up the applications and approvals processes.
• Whether different types of approval (e.g. planning, listed buildings etc.) could be combined to make the system more user-friendly.