Thankyou to our Customers

‘Save Our Lofts Campaign’
FMB Forces Government U-Turn - 27 November 2007

" I’m pleased to report that as a direct result of the FMB’s ‘Save Our Lofts Campaign’ the Government has accepted the FMB’s arguments not to make it harder for householders wanting a  loft conversion. Thousands of homeowners who might not have been able to have a loft conversion under the Planning White Paper, published in May 2007, will now be able to do so under revised proposals in the new Planning Reform Bill announced today and reported in today’s Times p21.

When the Government announced the publication of its Planning White Paper, it announced publicly that it was intending to free up the planning system for householders wanting to carry out home improvements by increasing the scope of permitted development. But for loft conversions the proposalswould have meant exactly the opposite, forcing nearly all householders to obtain planning permission which can take several months, involve considerable cost, and with no certainty that the application will be approved.

The Government has now relented and its new Planning Reform Bill  will allow householders to have a loft conversion under permitted development rules provided it does not exceed 40 cubic metre square in a terraced house;  50 cubic metre square in a semi detached house; and is 0.2 metre above the eaves.

We are seeking final wording from CLG but in the meantime this announcement is a significant achievement for the FMBand its members. I would like to say aspecial thank you to Jeff Atkins and theFMB Loft Action Group who have been instrumental in bringing about this success ! "

BRIAN BERRY
Director of External Affairs - Federation of Master Builders

The background:
5th June 2007

Following the interview with This Morning's TV breakfast show, the changes proposed in the White Paper are being referred to as the "1m rule". This will restrict the position of a Dorma to 1m from the gutter or eaves, 1m from the party wall, 1m from the verges and, more importantly, 1m down from the ridge..

The result of this new proposal means the headroom within a loft will be ridiculously small, reducing the feasibility of a loft conversion by at least 50% - causing problems for the loft conversion industry, home owners and builders alike.

We, along with the FMB (Federation of Master Builders), will be lobbying against the goverments proposals.