Martin Gaine

25/12/2025

18/02/2025

In today’s , I tell the story of a client who faced the demolition of a roof extension to his home after the council decided that it was not and should not be granted .

We won his , which was not surprising since several of his neighbours had built almost exactly the same roof extensions.

is in crisis and decision making can be quite erratic. Check and double check before starting any building works and always seek professional advice :)

https://telegraph.co.uk/gift/21831bf9ddf39c03

13/08/2024

Thinking of building in the Green Belt?

Beware!

National planning policies in England are strongly opposed to new development in the Green Belt and there are very strict limits even on extensions to existing houses.

For more on how to build a new house, or extend an extend an existing house, in the Green Belt, check out my latest article at: https://martingaine.com/why-is-it-so-hard-to-extend-a-house-in-the-green-belt/

10/08/2024

Can you ever be CERTAIN of planning success?

Ok, probably not. But there is much you can do to maximise your chances.

My feature in the August 2024 issue of is a guide to putting together and managing a bullet proof planning application with the best possible chance of getting a quick and easy approval.

My top tips:
1. Do your homework
2. Hire the right
3. Don't skimp on reports
4. Curb your ambitions
5. Keep your neighbours onside
6. Engage with the process
7. Persevere!

06/08/2024

In Sunday’s I told the stories of two clients who have been waiting for years for planning permission for fairly straightforward extensions to their homes.

Jon Barnett and his wife are trapped in a tiny flat while their house in Welwyn sits empty and uninhabitable. Daniel Pearson’s mother passed away while he was waiting for to create a granny annex for her.

The planning crisis is causing homeowners real problems.

Full article in bio!

14/06/2024

Confused by homeowner rights?

You are not alone! It is an unnecessarily complicated system and trips up thousands of homeowners each year.

Build something that you think is PD and then discover it is not, and you risk action.

Permitted development rights are still the best way to extend your home (they are far more generous than what you are usually allowed through an application for ).

But beware of the pitfalls!

For details of how it all works, check out my new post on martingaine.com/news-updates/

08/06/2024

Guerrilla marketing at in today

26/05/2024

In today's Sunday Times, I explain that there has never been a better time to try and get planning permission for a new house in your garden.

I also share my top tips:

- Not all gardens are suitable for development, so the first thing to do is to work out whether your garden might comfortably accommodate a new house.

- The planners are determined that new homes should fit in with their surroundings – they should be similar in size to their neighbours, line up with them fairly neatly and have the same amount of space around them. If your house looks awkward, cramped or shoe-horned into its plot, you won’t be granted permission.

- The ideal plot is a gap along the frontage, or to the rear but on a corner, where the new house faces onto a side street. The planners dislike what they call ‘tandem’ development, whereby a house is built in a rear garden directly facing onto the rear windows of the main house on the site.

- Although new houses are often contemporary in design, the planners prefer them to match their neighbours – designing something that mimics surrounding architecture is usually the path of least resistance.

- Take care to ensure that you protect your neighbours’ living conditions – the new house should not create a loss of light or privacy, or have a dominating or overbearing impact on their gardens.

- You will need to meet minimum sizes and provide sufficient off-street parking. You will have greater difficulty building a new home if you are in the green belt, the countryside, a flood zone, a conservation area or if there are protected trees or species on your site.

- To get a sense of what might be granted permission, take a look at your local council’s planning database to see what applications have been granted in your area. Consider using the council’s pre-application advice service for more detailed guidance, or speak to a good local architect or planning consultant for independent advice.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a27f311d-fef3-4206-b0aa-2e31483a1337?shareToken=ca8e3af3af68a7073c1387cc973c44e0

08/05/2024

The planners are often accused of being petty, and one thing they hate to see is the replacement of windows in old houses with uPVC. They are particularly sensitive when it comes to

In Sunday’s Times, a reader ran into trouble even though her windows were already ugly old replacements

I explained that new windows might be , but even if they are not, it sounds like she would be granted

Link in bio!

01/05/2024

Planning restrictions stop developers building new homes in the green belt, but they also place strict limits on homeowner extensions. Some houses in the green belt cannot be extended at all. Is there a solution? My answer to a reader's question in the Daily Mail (link in bio)

15/02/2024

The government is encouraging more brownfield development - a positive step, but one which fails to deal with the true causes of the housing crisis, as I tell Myra Butterworth in today's Daily Mail

The Government's announcement will apply to all new housing in a town, including its suburbs - and not just regeneration projects on old industrial land, says leading planning expert.

14/02/2024

It is very difficult to get planning permission for a garage converted into a home. In today's Daily Mail, I advise a reader that they will probably need to turn the dwelling back into a garage...

We installed a bathroom and kitchen in the garage at the end of our garden and rented it out for £300 a month, but the council says it is illegal and must be knocked down.