Easy Peasy Home Improvements For Scottish Homeowners

The Scottish government has eased building regulations so that Scottish homeowners can improve their property without planning permission. Although planning permission will still be required for certain modifications, certain types of home improvement will no longer require planning permission e.g. home extensions, access ramps, sheds, garages and decking.First announced in October of last year, the move which takes effect from today will result in the loss of at least 4,000 planning applications annually.
Planning Minister Derek Mackay said: “These changes allow people to improve their homes more easily and save them money, while creating jobs for building companies and trades people.
“We consulted extensively before introducing these changes and I am confident they strike the right balance between cutting red tape to help householders and protecting privacy and the appearance of Scotland’s buildings.
“They also complement the work we have already undertaken to make it easier for householders to install small scale renewables technologies.”
Bob Reid of The Royal Town Planning Institute said:
“These new rules will make it easier for people to make changes to their homes, with the right safeguards for neighbours and for conservation areas and listed buildings.
“This should allow planning authorities to focus their attention on more complex developments often with larger impact, which in turn should help to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning system.”
If you are interested in any form of home improvement Mitchell Glass is one of Scotland’s longest-serving installers and specialist providers of aluminium windows, sunrooms and timber windows.