These two local authorities are revealed as having the highest proportion of domestic planning applications in Great Britain.
Other areas where homeowners proved keen to improve are South Bucks, Uttlesford and St Albans. All saw planning applications in 2012 for more than 5% of the total number of homes in the area.
In Gateshead and in Middlesbrough, however, the ratio was 0.9%.
An analysis by Barbour ABI saw that the south of England dominates the top 25 places. London saw a rise of nearly 9%, while applications in the northeast fell by 6%.
In general – and unsurprisingly – the wealthier the area and more expensive the property, the more planning applications are lodged.
The government's latest family spending survey suggests that the average spend by households on altering and improving their homes on average was about £1,000 in the years 2010 and 2011. This means that the nation was spending almost £27bn a year on housing alterations and improvements.
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