10.05.13
Buildings to be converted for other use – Pickles
New measures to allow buildings to be converted for other uses without planning permission have been introduced by communities secretary Eric Pickles.
The move aims to reduce bureaucracy on developing empty and underused buildings into homes and businesses. It will apply to high street premises, agricultural buildings under 500m2, offices, hotels and leisure centres.
Areas in 17 local authorities will be exempt from the new rights: in the City of London and the London boroughs of Camden, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Westminster, Newham, and Kensington and Chelsea. Other areas are in the borough councils of Vale of the White Horse, Stevenage, Ashford (Kent), the district councils of Sevenoaks and East Hampshire, and Manchester City Council.
Buildings can also be converted to become free schools under the new rules.
Pickles said: “There is huge untapped potential in the many disused existing buildings we have and we’re determined that every one of them is put to good use.
“By simplifying the process and relaxing some stringent rules we can provide a helping hand to those eager to boost their high streets or rural communities by cutting the time and costs needed to start up new businesses.
“These reforms will provide a boost to the exciting free schools programme. It will make it easier for parents and community activists to convert buildings into new schools.
“We’re also providing a great opportunity for outdated, redundant or underused offices to be brought back to life by converting them into homes, protecting the green belt and countryside at the same time. This will also increase footfall and provide knock-on benefits to the wider community.”
(Image: Geoff Caddick / PA Wire)
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