From temporary to permanent

The most notable difference is that a temporary permitted change of use from offices to residential is to be made permanent.  In addition, permitted development rights are proposed to be extended to allow for office buildings to be demolished and replaced by new residential developments, and for both launderettes and light industrial units to undergo a change of use to residential.  The detail of when such permitted development rights can be used has still to be published by the government and is no doubt eagerly awaited.

The planning reforms are also aimed at supporting those wanting to build their own home, by making councils responsible for allocating land to help small developers.

The changes were announced by Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis, who 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.”

Permitted development rights

Here at Apex Planning Consultants, we are pretty excited by the opportunities these new changes will bring.  At the moment, the permitted development rights only allow for office space to be converted into residential, subject to Prior Approval. So of course, it is frequently the more modern office buildings that are developed, as they are comparatively easier and cheaper to convert.

This causes problems for businesses – as it creates a lack of Grade A office space available to businesses to buy or rent. However, allowing for sub-standard office buildings to be demolished and residential buildings created from scratch is theoretically a far more desirable outcome all round, which would release land that is otherwise occupied by vacant and unlettable/unsaleable buildings and allowing an active use that would enhance an area and provide for much needed housing.  So this development, along with the chance to convert light industry and launderette units, in principle, can be viewed as a really positive step, but as always, the devil will be in the detail, and Apex Planning Consultants will be monitoring this situation for its clients.

As we mentioned in a recent blog post, part of the Housing and Planning Bill reiterates the government’s requirement for local authorities to have their Local Plans adopted by 2017 – or the government will create their plans for them.  Furthermore, it states that councils can also bid for a share of a £10 million Starter Homes Fund to help them prepare brownfield sites that otherwise would not be used for starter homes.

Brownfield register

The government has recently issued the latest information relating to the ‘Brownfield register’ – we are reserving judgement, but our initial concern about this is that it doesn’t necessarily make for good planning, as it unclear how it allows for the ‘testing’ of the sites to establish their suitability.  For example, what impact will the development have on the local area; how has it been adjudged to be compatible with adjacent uses; what are the highway implications; are the services and utilities in the area sufficient to accommodate the increased population in a given location?

If you would like to discuss your own project with us, or discuss a plan about the latest government initiatives, or just find out more about what we do, please drop us a line at info@apexplanning.co.uk.

The post Housing and Planning Bill – an Update appeared first on Apex Planning.

Planning Minister Brandon Lewis has said that local authorities have had more than 10 years to produce plans, and that while 82 per cent of them have, action needs to be taken to ensure that the others produce theirs to the required standard.

In a recent written statement he said: “In cases where no Local plan has been produced by early 2017 – five years after the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework – we will intervene to arrange for the plan to be written, in consultation with local people, to accelerate production of a Local plan.”

Local Plans lay out the policies for any future development and also make allocation for sites for certain uses such as employment, leisure, housing and so on.

What does this mean in practice?

While we are glad to see action taken to ensure that Local Plans are up to date as soon as possible, one does have to wonder how the Government thinks it will be able to speed up the production of a Local plan quicker than a council can.  Does it mean that they will make more money available for resources, or will they do away with some of the key consultation phases in order to speed things up – and if that is the case what will that mean for good-quality plan making and development in any district or borough that is affected in this way.

What about the Brownfield sites?

As we’ve mentioned in previous blogs, the government has said it will automatically grant permission for brownfield sites – that is those that have already been developed.  These sites must be on a brownfield register that must now be produced.  However, while the register is already being prepared for London with the help of consultants, that is not likely to be ready until the end of 2015.

Moreover, for councils outside London it is not at all clear if they are going to have similar resources made available – so how long will it be before their brownfield registers are complete?  If that is the case, this initiative is going to have little impact on development in the near future.

It would also seem that sites included on the Brownfield register would simply have the principle of development conferred upon it, which means that detailed planning permission is still required.  It is accepted that establishing the principle of development at a site will, to some extent , short-cut the planning process, but it is far from a ‘silver bullet’.  One suggestion to complete the circle would be for councils to also provide detailed development guidance via Local Development Orders.

Watch this space!

There is still so much that has not been made clear in these latest Government initiatives, but we will watch developments with interest and ensure that we always pass on the latest information to our clients and via our blog.

If you would like to discuss your own project with us, or discuss a plan concerning the latest Government initiatives, or just find out more about what we do, please visit the website at www.apexplanning.co.uk or drop us a line at info@apexplanning.co.uk without obligation.

The post Brandon Lewis lays out Requirements for Local Plans appeared first on Apex Planning.