#planning-regulations

#planning-regulations

They were the talk of the town for years - those massive, often multi-level, underground extensions dug deep beneath London's most exclusive postcodes, hence the nickname "iceberg" basements. But then the horror stories began, with tales of neighbouring houses collapsing and outrage over the disruption caused by the creation of subterranean swimming pools and cinemas. So, have these mega-basements now fallen out of fashion, or is there still a whir of construction happening beneath our feet?

Rosemary Duckett, 80, a retired magistrate and former chair of her local YMCA, and her husband, Anthony, 88, have been providing accommodation in a room above their garage to Ukrainian refugees since 2022. The couple were dismayed when the council recently told them they could no longer use the room, which has a small bathroom attached, to provide somewhere for Ukrainians to live without applying for a change of use for the room, at a cost of 600-800.

Havering Council issued a temporary stop notice on a Hornchurch flat development due to breaches of planning rules, halting construction until compliance is achieved.

Ijaz Hussain was fined over £20,000 for illegally converting a house into flats, defying planning regulations and ignoring enforcement notices.