New figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders

New figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) have shown that mortgage lending fell again in January.

This data does not bode well for those looking to move home as it severely restricts the market, meaning that some may abandon plans to move and look to other options instead.

Those options could include improving the home with a conservatory or glazed dining room extension.

According to the CML statistics, only 23,400 mortgages were approved in January 2009 compared to 48,600 in January 2008.

The bodys director general Michael Coogan explained that the governments efforts have not been enough to rescue the market.

"People want to know why lenders are not lending," he said.

"They are, but government schemes to restore the flow of funds are primarily focused on a few large banks and recent lending commitments by a few lenders cannot fill the gap overnight although we hope to see more funds flowing into mortgage activity later in the year."

The Daily Record recently suggested that a conservatory can be the ideal solution for homeowners looking for extra space.

It said that conservatories can "solve many accommodation problems with style".