South: Permitted development rules a positive step, says Turley Associates

The long-awaited changes to permitted development rules have now been published by the Government, aiming to stimulate development activity for buildings that are vacant or underused – a positive step for property across the UK but prior approval may still be challenging to navigate, says planning and urban design consultancy Turley Associates. 

Director Stuart Irvine commented: “These changes are positive and while there are still some questions to be answered about the specific detail, the clear message is that investment is good. The planning system is prepared to take a step back to allow it to take effect but the issue of ‘prior approval’ and how this is interpreted by each Local Planning Authority (LPA) still needs to be watched carefully."

The reforms create opportunity for changes in the use of a wide range of buildings – including changes in use from office to residential, the introduction of flexible uses in the high street and for rural buildings. They also make provision for larger home extensions.

The change from office to residential will place certain areas under scrutiny including the wider London area plus the major centres of Southampton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds and Bristol. Some areas have successfully opted out but the vast majority remain and could change significantly, particularly where there is a concentration of older office accommodation that is suitable for conversion and unattractive to the market in its current form.

The focus on the rural area is also noted. Attracting investment into these areas is an underlying principle in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and will support the diversification of the rural economy.

“Given the requirements for prior approval, the measures fall somewhere between traditional permitted development rights and a planning permission. There is some question as to whether LPAs will simply use the prior notification process as a means of requiring planning applications. However the measures are clear on what can be considered. It is notable that reference is made to the NPPF, but there is no requirement to consider the local plan,” said Irvine.