Residents across Tendring are urged to beware that new rules come into force next month over what development can take place to their homes without needing planning permission.

The Government has made the significant changes to the system following a review and consultation last year.

Now all planning authorities - including Tendring District Council (TDC) - will be required to bring in the changes from October 1.

However, it will not involve the relaxation of any rules governing areas such as Jaywick or Conservation areas - where permitted development rights have already been removed.

The Government review had three objectives:

 To remove those types of development which were unlikely to have an impact on their surroundings from the controls

 To tighten controls on unsightly works such as roof extensions

 To simplify the ways controls are described with less reliance on crude calculations.

Iris Johnson, Portfolio Holder for Planning at TDC, said that it was important that everyone made themselves aware of the changes.

"One major change is that new or replacement paving or surfacing of a front garden will now require permission where it is more than five square metres, is not porous or where run-off cannot be channelled to a porous area in the curtilage, such as a garden border," she said.

"Another change is that any upper floor side-facing windows - in an otherwise permitted development scheme - will have to be obscured glazing."

There will also be changes to the rules regarding outbuildings, roof alterations, solar panels, chimneys, flues and soil and vent pipes.

Full details about the specific conditions under the new legislation are available at www.planningportal.gov.uk