My neighbour obtained planning permission to build a large extension to his cottage. The work wasn't started within the three year period but shortly before his permission expired he submitted another application to demolish the cottage and replace it with a much larger one elsewhere on the same plot. The public consultation period for that application has just expired although the planning authority is still accepting comments. In justifying the size of the replacement dwelling he is using the size of the original cottage plus the permitted but unbuilt extension as his starting /reference point. He claims that the permission to extend is still extant, which it was (just) at the time he submitted his new application but it is no longer and the local authority have been sticking to their timescales. The application is posted as a new application, not as a revision to the previous one. Is he right in claiming that his old permission is extant and can be used in establishing the 'reference' size of the new replacement dwelling?