In a last bid attempt to secure future housing provision and the viability of the high street before the dissolution of Parliament on Monday (30 March 2015), the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has laid down the latest update to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order, which will come into force from 15 April 2015.

It follows that DCLG has decided not to extend the office to residential permitted development (PD) rights, at this time.  However, Government has committed to giving further consideration to office to residential reforms after the general election in May.

The new legislation brings forward other measures to secure future housing provision from changes of use. Class P introduces the change of use from storage or distribution (Class B8), to residential, with a floorspace limit of 500 sq. m.  In this instance, DCLG have chosen to include prior approval criteria relating to the impact of the development on strategic industrial/employment locations, and the impact of residential development on such sites. The other prior approval considerations are air quality, transport and highways impacts, contamination, flooding and noise.

Also introduced are the rights to convert specified Sui Generis uses (amusement arcades/centres or casinos), to residential use, for up to 150 sq. m.

Having regard to town centres, the new legislation puts an emphasis on supporting mixed and varied high streets, by allowing changes of use between: shops; financial services; betting offices/pay day loan shops, and; casinos; to restaurant or café use, up to a limit of 150 sq. m.

Needless to say, come the 08 May, the changes may be put back under the looking glass, but until then the opportunities appear endless.

For more information, or to discuss the new regulations further please contact either Danielle St Pierre (dstpierre@iceniprojects.com), or your usual contact at Iceni.