Homeowners are staying put and extending: NHIC

The housing crisis has caused people to reconsider moving and plan to make their existing properties larger, an expert has stated.

Extensions are a "good way" of making more room for your family without having to move to a larger property, according to Andrew Leech, director of the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC).

Mr Leech suggested that the new planning measures will "ease off the pressure" on planning departments, particularly at the lower end of the scale.

"You could add a couple of rooms on, go up in the roof, or can refigure the interior, make a big room into two smaller rooms. You can maybe put a little en-suite into a bedroom area," he added.

According to a recent survey of members of the National Association of Estate Agents, more than 90 per cent were in agreement that adding an extension can potentially increase a property's value, as well as its size.