The ruling which comes into force from today, means that property owners in the country can now go ahead with the installation of extensions, garages, access ramps, sheds etc. without any prior consent required.

The decision was taken by the government after the number of homes granted planning permission in Scotland slumped to its lowest level since 1931.

Planning Minister Derek Mackay said: “These changes allow people to improve their homes more easily and save them money, while creating jobs for building companies and trades people.

“We consulted extensively before introducing these changes and I am confident they strike the right balance between cutting red tape to help householders and protecting privacy and the appearance of Scotland’s buildings.

“They also complement the work we have already undertaken to make it easier for householders to install small scale renewables technologies.”

Bob Reid, Convener of The Royal Town Planning Institute in Scotland is delighted with the move:

“These new rules will make it easier for people to make changes to their homes, with the right safeguards for neighbours and for conservation areas and listed buildings.

“This should allow planning authorities to focus their attention on more complex developments often with larger impact, which in turn should help to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning system.”

The news should give Scottish property owners incentive enough to look into conservatories and orangeries as they can add a huge amount of value to a home.

Conservatory Outlet has two of Scotland’s longest-established installers as part of its network of dealers, Mitchell Glass and The Home Enhancement Company. Anybody wanting a conservatory north of the border should visit their Galashiels or Aberdeen showrooms.

Conservatories can be personalised with ease at Conservatory Outlet as you have the option to go bespoke. Our bespoke conservatories give you the opportunity to get involved in the final design and arrangement of your home extension. Down to the finest details we can work together with you to create something truly unique and certain to be the talk of the town.

One of the major benefits of a bespoke conservatory is that it allows you to be certain that your final design fits in beautifully and complements with the rest of your home.  The last thing you want is for your conservatory to look like a white elephant so you can allay those fears by getting involved in the entire process and bringing it to life.

A conservatory is perfect in the current climate as it can make a home more valuable and will increase your chances of attracting a sale should you reach the stage where you want to move sometime in the future.

For an alternative why not check out our orangeries. An orangery shares many of the features that you get in a conservatory but offers even more spaciousness. If you have a particularly large family then you really couldn’t ask for a better extension.

Visit your local Conservatory Outlet showroom to fully discuss all your conservatory requirements.

After becoming the 19^th double glazing installer to join the Conservatory Outlet network, the next logical step for the Aberdeen-based orangery firm was to develop a new website from where they can benefit from the increased number of online sales and leads they will receive as a result of their new partnership.

Using the website template which has proved to be so successful for many other network members, as created by Preston digital agency Motionlab, the new site showcases The Home Enhancement Company’s full product range to full effect.

All conservatories, double glazing and door designs manufactured, supplied and installed by the firm have dedicated pages where online users can familiarise themselves with the numerous benefits and individual qualities each product possesses.

Significant exposure has been given to The Home Enhancement’s luxurious Aberdeen showroom as the company look to entice online visitors into paying a visit to their headquarters where potential customers can view all they have to offer and speak to one of their highly experienced design consultants.

An offers page has been introduced so that The Home Enhancement Company can keep customers up-to-date with all the very latest discount home improvement deals and the newest Conservatory Outlet dealer is now also easily contactable via the website.

For more information please visit: http://www.homeenhancementwindows.co.uk/.

Conservatories are the ideal form of living space for lounging in as they are installed within just a few feet of your back garden and therefore present you with the most idyllic views of the outdoors. Rain, sleet or snow, you can sit back in the best seat in the house and most comforting of atmospheres.

Throughout the daytime your conservatory will benefit from a huge amount of natural light as the sun strikes it and pours through the structure, making it feel inviting and welcoming. Once sunset is reached, you can turn on a light within the conservatory and watch it illuminate right before your very eyes.

However, there are other ways of extending your home at Conservatory Outlet. We are also one of the largest producers of orangeries in the UK. Previously renowned for being a place for growing fruits and plants, the orangery is now one of the most extravagant and exuberant ways of enlarging a household.

Though they differ in size and appearance, the conservatory and orangery have the ability to upturn the overall sale value of a home. This is especially useful for those looking to sell their property in the near future.

Having the luxury of a conservatory will give you the perfect excuse to get out into the back and will get you ready for every working week.

The traditional orangery was originally used as a place for growing citrus fruits in winter, but they are now more commonly used as a place to relax in the home.

Because of the way it is designed and constructed you will find that an orangery benefits from an enormous amount of natural light and heat. This means during the warmer months of the year you can be sure that your orangery will offer a warm and inviting atmosphere without you having to fork out a fortune in energy bills to heat it.

If you thought that a conservatory added a huge amount of extra space to a home just wait till you see the spaciousness that an orangery possesses. Because of its huge size it presents you with a number of opportunities as far as utilising the space is concerned.

You can use it for relaxation, work or entertaining purposes, or even all three if you wish. It really is as multi-functional as most of the conservatories you will find within the home improvement sector.

The moment installation of a conservatory or orangery is completed at your home the overall value of your property is almost certain to rise. If you ever decide to put it on the market you may also well find that buyers take more of an interest in it than they would have done without an extension of this kind being present.

As the leading supplier of conservatories and double glazing in the UK they know how important it is to have a fit and healthy workforce. The initiative, which is fully funded by Conservatory Outlet, aims to reward staff and encourage them to lead a healthier lifestyle in the New Year and beyond.

The inspiration for this special one-off event came after one of the directors of the business went on a course lead by EasyWay (http://www.theeasywaytostopsmoking.com/ ) outside of work and successfully stopped smoking. They are hoping that with the help of Conservatory Outlet and Easyway many others will be encouraged to follow suit.

Easyway was founded by London-born Allen Carr who quit smoking after 33 years as a hundred-a-day chain smoker. Since then the Easyway method has helped millions of smokers across the globe to stop smoking and escape from nicotine addiction.

According to the NHS around 21% of the UK population smokes and although the number of people with a nicotine habit has decreased sharply over the past 20-30 years there is still a lot of work to be done to bring that figure down further.

The ‘Stop Smoking Day’ will be hosted by Conservatory Outlet at the home of Rugby League side Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and attended by all office staff/factory staff/ sales staff at the orangery firm.

But this needn’t be a bad thing especially if you have a conservatory installed at your house as it is a room that offers so many different possibilities in the most luxurious of locations. Realistically conservatories can be turned into an extension of your living or dining room so that you can benefit from a further area in which to put your feet up, only with the added extra of natural sunlight throughout the day.

Unlike the old-style of conservatory which would predominantly be made up of wood and over-heat during summer, the contemporary conservatory is constructed using UPVC, a weather-resistant material that can keep excess heat at bay. This makes it an all-year round useable home extension.

You will show a definite preference to the conservatory on those occasions when you want to chill out and work off the stresses and strains of your everyday life. This is because it can be accessorised like any other room in the house but with further extravagance. You can install a centre fan with light so that the room illuminates at night and place appropriately sized conservatory furniture.

The added value it will bring also makes worth the money alone. Like an orangery, it can make your property more valuable than ever before which comes in extremely handy if you ever decide to sell up and move.

Speak to your local conservatory installer to make sure you find a conservatory design that best suits.

But this isn’t always the case, especially when you could just as easily install a home extension in the form of a conservatory or orangery at a fraction of the price of relocating to help restore space.

The costs associated with moving can be astronomical as you have to deal with removal and solicitor fees, as well as the actual cost of the new property. Some people may be moving simply out of necessity rather than preference which doesn’t seem to make sense when conservatories are proven when it comes to adding living space.

A conservatory or orangery will be your saviour as it can be utilised in a number of different ways. It can act as an extension of your living or dining room so that the emergency chairs never have to come out next time you have friends and family round for dinner. Instead, you can all revert to the spacious and welcoming environment that an extension of either type provides.

Most important of all, both types of extension can be used at any time of the day. Previously, such extensions could only be used at certain times of the year as they would either become too hot or too cold; this is no longer the case!

You can put all thoughts of moving to the back of your head when you extend via conservatory or orangery as it will breathe new life into your property.

Everyone deserves a bit of luxury in their home and if space is preventing you from finding it then the time has come when you either do one of two things, move or extend your present property. If your preference is the latter then you have made a good financial choice as a conservatory not only provides you with essential living space, but it will also add a huge amount of value to your home.

The interior of conservatories is one of their key selling-points. There are so many possibilities as far as accessorising the room is concerned as you could potentially turn it into an extension of your living or dining room. You could even turn it into your own home office so that you can work away from the office as and when you need to.

Like the orangery, a conservatory will be placed in a position where it will attract the most natural sunlight, without any unwanted glares becoming prevalent. This means that your extension will always offer a welcoming atmosphere, encouraging you to make as much use of it as possible.

In total you could benefit from at least 20 years’ worth of super stylish home extension living as this is the expected lifespan of all conservatory designs. It really is one of the soundest investments you could ever wish to make.

Double glazed windows, as the name suggests, are made from two panes of glass rather than the traditional one pane which can be found in older windows. This extra section of glass can improve your home in many ways. Firstly double glazing can help to make you property more energy efficient. It is estimated that an astonishing 20% of the energy you use to heat your home is lost through the buildings windows. Double glazing can help to minimise this loss by providing extra insulation and in some cases it can actually help to heat your home if your new windows are A-rated.

Double glazing can also help to make your home more secure. As the windows get thicker due to the extra pane of glass, they become much safer making them a lot harder for anyone to force them open.  Most double glazing companies will also fit multi-point locking systems as standard ensuring that when you are away from your home your belongings are safe.

Finally double glazing will also improve the value of your home and increase its appeal to potential home buyers. Stylish new windows will always make your home look more attractive and as double glazing is available in numerous styles, designs and colours you can really add a bit of personality to your home.

Conservatories and orangeries are also a great way of making your property stand out from the crowd. They are available in various shapes and sizes so they are a suitable addition to many homes throughout the UK.