Richmond has said that the Government's new planning permission rules to allow residents to extend their homes without applying for permission is a decision that will leave neighbours 'powerless.'

In 2013, The Government changed its planning rules and it was decided that residents living in smaller properties would be able to extend their homes without making a formal application to the Council.

And, in June the Government announced further plans to extend Permitted Development rights so that homeowners seeking an extension would be able add an extra two storeys to their property without planning permission.

Cllr Martin Elengorn, Chair of the Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sport Committee, said: “We already have sub-standard flats being created from offices under previous Government relaxations of Planning rules, now we have the prospect of neighbours and the Council being powerless to object to or prevent ill-judged carbuncles on top of blocks of flats or individual houses.

"We will vigorously oppose these ill-conceived proposals”.

The Royal Town Planning Institute have also described the new proposals as “the disaster of low-quality housing created under previous extensions to permitted development”