- All new homes in England delivered through any Permitted
Development Right must meet space standards
- This change builds on reforms to ensure these homes provide
adequate natural light
- Follows wider reforms to create a new, simpler planning
system whilst raising standards
New homes delivered through Permitted Development Rights will
have to meet space standards, Housing Secretary has announced today (Wednesday 30 September).
Permitted Development homes make an important contribution to
delivering the housing the country needs by making effective use
of existing buildings, allowing them to be changed into homes
without the need to go through a full planning application.
The homes are instead consented through a lighter-touch ‘prior
approval’ process, speeding up the delivery of these new homes –
with over 60,000 homes provided over the last four years.
The measures announced today will mean that all new homes in
England delivered through these rights will in the future have to
meet the Nationally Described Space Standard.
The space standard begins at 37m² of floorspace for a new one bed
flat with a shower room (39m² with a bathroom), ensuring proper
living space for a single occupier.
While homes delivered through Permitted Development Rights have
little difference in quality compared to homes following a
planning application, a minority of developers have been
delivering small homes without justification. The changes
announced today will put an end to this.
This change builds on reforms introduced by the Government last
summer to ensure that all new homes delivered through permitted
development provide adequate natural light.
Housing Secretary Rt Hon MP said:
“Permitted Development Rights are helping to deliver new homes
and making an important contribution to our economic recovery
from the pandemic, supporting our high streets by encouraging the
regeneration of disused buildings and boosting our housing
industry to safeguard the jobs of builders, plumbers and
electricians.
“The pandemic has further highlighted the importance of having
somewhere secure and comfortable to live. While most developers
deliver good homes and do the right thing, I’m tackling the
minority of developers abusing the system by announcing that new
homes delivered will have to meet space standards.”
Last month the Government set out its plans to overhaul the
outdated planning system, including new measures to place beauty
and design quality at the heart of new development. Under the new
system, communities will be engaged at the beginning of the
planning process to shape design codes that ensure new
developments are in keeping with the architectural identity and
standards of their area. This includes the Government consulting
on homes delivered through Permitted Development Rights being
covered by the new local design codes.
Notes to Editors
- Further information on recent Permitted Development Rights
and changes to the Use Class Order is available on GOV.UK.
