New rules allowing commercial premises to be converted into homes have come into force as part of a package of government measures to revitalise England’s high streets and town centres.
The new rules, announced by Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, will help support the creation of much-needed homes, while also giving high streets a new lease of life, including removing eyesores, transforming unused buildings and making the most of brownfield land.
It also introduces a new fast track for extending public service buildings, including new rules to allow for bigger extensions to existing public buildings, including schools, colleges, universities and hospitals.
These changes will help deliver more classrooms and hospital space by enabling them to extend further and faster as the country emerges from the pandemic.
The government believes allowing unused commercial buildings to be changed into homes will encourage more people to live near local high streets and come to the area for work and leisure, helping to cement high streets and town centres at the heart of communities.
The new homes will be delivered through a simpler ‘prior approval’ process instead of a full planning application and will be subject to high standards, ensuring they provide adequate natural light and meet space standards.
Currently, public buildings can have small extensions without the need for a full planning application and the changes mean they will be able to extend further and faster, helping to quickly deliver more classrooms and hospital space.
This will mean that vital public buildings will be expanded more quickly through the planning system with a faster, more streamlined planning process.
Commenting, Mr Jenrick said: “We are creating the most small business friendly planning system in the world to provide the flexibility needed for high streets to bounce back from the pandemic.
“By diversifying our town and city centres and encouraging the conversion of unused shops into cafes, restaurants or even new homes, we can help the high street to adapt and thrive for the future.
“The public also want improvements to public services as quickly as possible and so these changes will also help schools and hospitals to adapt quickly to changing needs with a new fast track for extending public service buildings. This will help deliver more classrooms and hospital space by helping them extend further and faster.”
Other measures announced by the government include:
- Amendment of existing permitted development rights for ports so that they have the same freedoms as airports for undertaking development.
- Amendments to the demolition permitted development right to ensure the removal of unlisted heritage assets is subject to due process and proper consultation via planning.
