Skip to content

Permitted development rules change in UK welcomed

But real estate and planning experts point out that prior approval may still be challenging to navigate and there are still a number of questions to be addressed about the specific detail and how prior approval is interpreted by local planning authorities.

The reforms create opportunity for changes in the use of a wide range of buildings including changes in use from office to residential, the introduction of flexible uses in the high street and for rural buildings. There are also provisions for larger home extensions.

‘These changes are positive and whilst there are still some questions to be answered about the specific detail, the clear message is that investment is good. The planning system is prepared to take a step back to allow it to take effect but the issue of prior approval and how this is interpreted by each Local Planning Authority needs to be watched carefully,’ said Stuart Irvine, director of planning and urban design consultancy Turley Associates.

‘Given the requirements for prior approval, the measures fall somewhere between traditional permitted development rights and a planning permission. There is some question as to whether LPA’s will simply use the prior notification process as a means of requiring planning applications. However the measures are clear on what can be considered,’ he added.

He pointed out that the change from office to residential will place certain areas under scrutiny including the wider London area plus the major centres of Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol and Southampton. Some areas have successfully opted out but the vast majority remain and could change significantly, particularly where there is a concentration of older office accommodation that is suitable for conversion and unattractive to the market in its current form.

The focus on the rural area is also noted. Attracting investment into those areas is an underlying principle in the NPPF and will support the diversification of the rural economy.

Rules that will allow agricultural buildings to be used for non-farming business ventures without the need for change of use planning consent have been welcomed by Savills as good news for the rural economy.

But Savills estate management and planning specialists caution that the relaxation of legislation is not a blank cheque for development. ‘This cuts through some of the red tape for farmers and land owners who want to diversify and create new income streams by providing storage facilities, for example,’ said  John Wootton, head of estate management for Savills in the East of England.

However, Savills planning director David Henry said that there is still a lot of detail to be hammered out. ‘It’s important to remember that this applies only to change of use. If you need to make significant alterations to the building or its surroundings physically, you may still need planning consent. And to change the use of buildings of between 150 and 500 square metres it will still be necessary to have the prior approval of the local authority,’ he pointed out.

‘This is to ensure the change does not have adverse impacts on the neighbourhood, for example due to unacceptable noise and traffic. Controls on listed buildings and the like will also continue as before,’ he added.

The UK government will be looking into the issue of residential conversion in more detail over the summer, but Savills is advising people to take advice and be clear about exactly what can and can’t be done before anyone makes any plans.

Related