Conservatories lose their place in the sun to lofts and kitchens

CONSERVATORIES are falling out of fashion as home owners turn to basement and loft renovations to provide extra living space, new data shows.

Figures obtained by Halifax Insurance show that while the total number of UK planning applications has fallen by 3 per cent over the past four years – from 34,126 a year in 2012 to 33,170 in 2016 – there is a surge in applications for home improvements, with a 27 per cent increase over the same period according to local councils.

The report showed that Britain’s dream home is changing fast, with big kitchens, single-storey extensions and loft conversions all increasing in popularity. Basement renovations, which are particularly popular in London, saw a 183 per cent rise in applications over the period.

Sue Wimpenny, director at the construction and interior design company The Lady Builder, said the “temporary” feel of conservatories was likely to be behind their fall from grace.

She said: “The problem with conservatories is that they get hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and they feel rather temporary. At one point they were going up anywhere and everywhere but now people are realising an extension or a garden room is better.”

Despite estate agents insisting that conservatories can add up to 10 per cent to the value of a home, Ms Wimpenny said extensions and garden rooms were more effective at adding value, despite being more expensive.

However, the Halifax data found that Wiltshire and Cornwall were bucking the trend away from conservatories while households in Edinburgh were most likely to extend their kitchens, while those in Cornwall were more likely to extend garages and car ports.

The rise in home improvements comes as potential movers face bigger bills from inflated house prices and stamp duty. The cost of moving means that a growing number of families choose to stay put and extend rather than buy a larger home.