Charles Rose summarises the key points emerging from today’s ministerial statement from Eric Pickles and The Chief Planner’s (Steve Quartermain) subsequent correspondence to Local Planning Authorities across England.
The headlines from these announcements are:
- The new permitted development rights will allow the change of use from B1 (a) offices to C3 residential.
- The new rights are planned to come into force in Spring 2013 and will initially run for a period of three years;
- In order to implement these rights to development, prior approval will be required from the relevant LPA;
- LPAs have until 22nd February 2013 to request an exemption. Exemptions must relate to identified geographical areas and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances; and
- The exemption will not alter the powers an LPA already has to tailor permitted development locally by means of an Article 4 direction or by way of a condition to a planning permission.
It remains to be seen whether these changes will see a surge in housing delivery across the country or whether land and buildings in existing employment use will be safeguarded, either through the exemption process or via the back door route of the existing Article 4 direction procedure.
Notwithstanding this, the ministerial statement did clarify that:
“There will be a tightly drawn prior approval process which will cover significant transport and highway impacts, and development in areas of high flood risk, land contamination and safety hazard zones”
And against this background the Chief Planner explained that:
“Permitted development rights will only cover change of use: any associated physical development which currently requires a planning application will continue to need one.”
Speculation will no doubt arise from today’s announcements. That said the Government appears to be committed to introducing these legislative changes swiftly. Therefore, if you have any questions, be it general or site specific please feel free to contact us. Iceni Projects are here to answer any questions you may have and to keep you informed of these and other impending changes to the planning process.
Please contact Charles Rose on 020 34354209 or crose@iceniprojects.com.