Office blocks that are left empty following the coronavirus
pandemic risk being turned into potential substandard housing as
a result of rules that allow developers to convert buildings into
homes without planning permission, councils warn today.
New analysis by the Local Government Association found that
more than 16,000 affordable homes could have been lost in England
in the past five years as a result of offices converted into
homes under permitted development rights, which allow developers
to bypass the planning system.
The findings come ahead of the LGA today giving evidence to
the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee
inquiry on permitted development rights.
In some areas of the country, office to residential
conversions account for a significant proportion of new
homes.
Different types of accommodation will be appropriate for
different people at different stages of their lives, and in some
cases office conversions can provide a suitable option, but we
have long had concerns about some of the substandard housing
created from permitted development conversions, and the lack of
any requirement for developers to provide affordable homes or
supporting infrastructure.
Last year (2019/20), more than half (56.6 per cent) of all
new homes in Trafford were office conversions, with 40.9 per cent
in Crawley, 37.5 per cent in Harlow, 36.7 per cent in Walsall and
36.3 per cent in Luton.
This means communities are unable to have their say on
these conversions to ensure they meet high quality standards, nor
is there a requirement for the developer to provide any
affordable housing or supporting infrastructure such as roads,
schools and health services, as there would be if planning
permission was required.
It comes as the Government has extended permitted
development rights to apply to all commercial units and business
premises – meaning shops, banks, restaurants, gyms, creches and
offices can now be turned into homes without planning
permission.
An independent report commissioned by the Government last
year found that permitted development conversions can “create
worse quality residential environments than planning permission
conversions in relation to a number of factors widely linked to
the health, wellbeing and quality of life of future
occupiers”.
It is good that the Government has moved to allay the
negative impact on communities of permitted development rights by
introducing space standards for new homes. However, concerns
remain about the quality, design and safety, as well as location
of this type of housing. This also does not address the standards
of housing previously delivered under permitted
development.
The LGA, which represents councils, is calling for
permitted development rights to be scrapped as part of a
strengthening of the locally-led planning system.
It fears that with office blocks and other types of
business premises potentially being left redundant following
COVID-19 as a result of a switch to greater home-working and the
economic downturn, that many will be acquired by developers to
bypass the planning system and turn into housing.
Councils are able to remove permitted development in
specific areas through what is known as an Article 4 direction,
which can be a lengthy process requiring approval of the
Secretary of State.
The LGA warns curtailing councils’ ability to use Article 4
would represent a further blow to local democracy.
Cllr David Renard, LGA housing spokesperson, said:
“There is a real possibility that some office blocks,
retail and commercial spaces will remain empty beyond COVID-19
and end up being converted into housing under permitted
development rights, bypassing the local planning system and the
voice of local communities, who will be hamstrung in their
ability to raise any objections or issues.
“We have long had concerns over the substandard housing
created from permitted development conversions, and the lack of
any requirement for developers to provide affordable homes or
supporting infrastructure.
“The planning system exists to enable the delivery of a mix
of high-quality, affordable housing that meets the needs of local
communities, and gives those communities the opportunity to shape
and define the area they live in.
“Councils are committed to building the housing this
country desperately needs as part of the national recovery from
coronavirus, but we urge the Government to protect the future
quality of new homes by permanently revoking the permitted
development rights for change of use into homes.”
Notes to editors
Quality
standard of homes delivered through change of use permitted
development rights - Report on the independent MHCLG funded
research into quality standard of homes delivered through certain
permitted development rights for the change of use
The amount of affordable housing required as part of any
development varies by local area usually starts at 25 per
cent.
If this was applied to the 64,798 office to residential
conversions under permitted development in England between
2015/16 and 2019/20 – nearly 6 per cent of all new housing built
– it would amount to 16,200 affordable homes going
unbuilt.
