Developers will be able to demolish offices and replace them with residential units under changes to permitted development rights being announced in the Housing Bill.
The Bill was set to make office-to-residential conversions a permanent fixture of the planning system. However, a release from the minister’s office also says: “To further support the delivery of new homes, the rights will in future allow the demolition of office buildings and new building for residential use.
“The rights to allow for demolition of offices and new build as residential use will be subject to limitations and prior approval by the local planning authority. Further details will be provided in due course.”
More details are expected to emerge of the radical shake-up when the Bill is released this afternoon.
The changes will also enable the change of use of light industrial buildings and launderettes to new homes, and have clarified the timeframe for development.
Permitted development rights were due to expire in May 2016. The statement from the housing minster clarifies that the changes will now be permanent and that developers of existing schemes have three years to complete schemes from the date of prior approval.
Minster for housing Brandon Lewis said: “Today’s measures will mean we can tap into the potential of underused buildings to offer new homes for first-time buyers and families long into the future, breathing new life into neighbourhoods and at the same time protecting our precious green belt.”
Areas currently exempt from office-to-residential conversions will have until May 2019 to make an Article 4 direction if they wish to continue determining planning applications for the change of use.
There are areas in 17 local authorities in England consisting of individual buildings, roads or zones that are currently exempt from the rights, including:
- City of London
- London Central Activities Zone, which covers parts of the boroughs of Camden, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Westminster, Newham, and Kensington and Chelsea
- Areas in the boroughs of Stevenage in Hertfordshire and Ashford in Kent
- Areas in the district councils of Sevenoaks in Kent and east Hampshire
- Manchester city centre
