Building the bungalows that Britain needs
SIR – Yes, we do need more small single-storey dwellings for the over-sixties (Letters, April 30).
Provision could be made through a small change to the class uses in the Planning Act: it would be quite possible to include a new class that permits small single-storey dwellings of 970sq ft at the most, with a garage and store of 215 sq ft.
Permission to extend could be removed, which would make it difficult to “upgrade” the property if the plot was small. There would also be a golden opportunity to improve the provision of solar panels for electricity and hot water.
With regards to the many thousands of small plots that could be built on, there is provision for the development of “windfall” plots, but the planning officers generally block these.
Paul Sant
Hereford