2147 Experience renovating in the Bagni di Lucca area?

I have visited Italy many times (and loved every minute of it) and have recently decided to purchase a house. I have found the posts on this forum have been extremely useful, thank you!

We have just returned from our first viewing trip (around Bagni di Lucca), and are tempted by the idea of a renovation. Do any of you have experience in this region? I would appeciate any feedback on the ease/difficulty of planning permissions for renovations (no extensions) and adding a swimming pool. Also, what permissions are necessary for landscaping/removal of trees in a rural area?

Thank you

(I'm 99% sure the agent we used is not the questionable one mentioned in one of the other forums - I didn't see the name - but we will follow all the useful advice about checking agents registration etc before moving forward)