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.

Following the Government's introduction of new permitted development rights to allow for office to residential conversion without planning permission, we are now seeing a response from local authorities hoping to protect their office stock.