What Planning Permission?!

Planning permission no longer required for office to residential conversion

New relaxed regulations for conversion of commercial property were announced last month (24th January) in an effort to address the UK housing shortage.

The idea was originally discussed in 2011, but finally abandoned in July 2012 after ambiguity about how the conversions would actually work. Less than one year later, the Government has introduced new permitted development rights which allow offices to be converted to residential space, in an attempt to create much needed housing from underused offices.

This rule change comes at a time when building figures are reaching record lows and planning minister, Nick Boles, is optimistic the decision will provide a much-needed boost for the economy in terms of both housing and employment. These new regulations will only apply to office space, and not to shops or warehouses.

The right to convert property in this way has been put in place for three years, but will allow exemption in ‘exceptional circumstances’ when a local authority has justified grounds for objection. The City of London council has already opposed the plans due to worries that landmark buildings could be converted into flats. As a result, it is believed that they have been granted exemption from these new regulations.

At the beginning of the year, Nick Boles branded the length of time required for young people to acquire a deposit as ‘immoral’ and said that building restrictions had become a major cause of the inflation in house prices. New relaxed restrictions will allow change of use from B1(a) offices to C3 residential without prior planning permission. In light of this decision, those planning to convert property in this way may be able to save what can reach hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees. However, property industry experts have warned that the complexity of some redevelopments will mean many will still require planning permission.

Boles said: “The small changes we are proposing are another step in streamlining an application process that for too long has been weighed down by the need to provide irrelevant information and detail.”

Here at Applegate Lettings we think this change is fantastic - it allows people to convert an office space into housing without the hassle of the long process of planning permission, the result being that there is the potential for empty offices to be converted into super homes for local people!