Apush for abolishing home transformations from offices in England
Article: Controversial Permitted Development Rights Under Scrutiny in Parliament
A significant amendment to remove a number of Permitted Development Rights (PDR) permits from the Planning and Infrastructure Act is currently under debate in the Parliament. This amendment, if passed, could bring about a substantial change in the housing market, as it aims to address concerns about the quality and suitability of homes built through PDR.
The Bundesrat (Federal Council) introduced this amendment as part of the ongoing legislative process around public procurement and defense-related infrastructure. While the exact individual proposers are not explicitly named in the available document, the amendment has garnered attention due to its potential impact on housing.
Cllr Louise Gittins, the chair of the Local Government Association (LGA), believes this amendment could help councils deliver the high-quality houses that the country needs. She goes on to state that this amendment could be a game changer, as it could permanently house a fifth of families currently in temporary accommodation.
The LGA's recent research shows that almost 28,000 affordable homes have been lost due to PDR developments over the last 11 years. This statistic is a concern for many, as studies, including the government's own research, indicate that homes constructed through PDR are more likely to be smaller, darker, poorly ventilated, and in unsuitable locations.
The debate around PDR is not new. Campaigners have been advocating for the abolition of some PDR for some time. Baroness Thornhill, a prominent voice in this debate, states that developers are able to circumvent the democratic planning process due to certain PDR rules. She believes that the impact of these rules has gone much further than was ever anticipated when they were first brought in, and that councils and communities are losing out significantly because of this.
Thirty-nine companies, including Shelter, the National Housing Federation, the Town and Country Planning Association, the G15, and the Royal Town Planning Institute, have signed an open letter to stop office-to-residential developments. They share concerns about the quality of housing and the lack of democratic control in the process.
As the planning and infrastructure bill progresses, Cllr Gittins hopes that the amendment receives sufficient backing. Baroness Thornhill of the LGA believes it's time to scrap certain PDR rules, and the outcome of this debate could shape the future of housing in the UK.
