Permitted development rights are being expanded to cover a wider range of development activities.
The first of these measures was introduced on 5 March 2024 and increases the number of buildings eligible for commercial to residential conversion. The revised regulations offer greater flexibility for property owners by broadening the scope of the permitted development rights in the conversion of commercial properties to residential dwellings and the construction of extensions.
The relaxation measures make more commercial properties eligible for conversion by removing two key limitations:
- Vacancy: buildings will no longer need to have been vacant for a 3 month minimum continuous period immediately before the prior approval application is made; and
- Size: buildings of any size will be eligible, with the cumulative floorspace limit of 1,500 square metres being removed.
A separate consultation was open until 9th April 2024 on a range of further measures to reduce the need to obtain planning permission in relation to the following:
- Improvement and enlargement of homes: allowing more householders to erect larger extensions/loft extensions and make additions/alterations to the roof and further flexibility for bin and bike stores in front gardens.
- Upwards extension of existing buildings: streamlining the prior approval process and making buildings constructed before 1 July 1948 eligible.
- Demolition of buildings to rebuild as homes: streamlining the prior approval process and making buildings constructed from 1990 onwards eligible (but removing eligibility for those before 1930), allowing any rebuild to exceed the original building's footprint in certain cases.
- Installation of electrical outlets and up stands for recharging electric vehicles: removing limits on installation within off-street parking areas and raising the height restrictions for up stands and allowing certain equipment housing or storage cabinets to be installed in non-domestic locations.
- Installation of air source heat pumps: removing current limitation on installations within one metre of property boundaries, increasing the number of installations per building (with potential need to seek prior approval for more than one), and examining the other current limitations and conditions.
The result of this consultation is yet to be announced and property owners should look out for further updates on this in due course.
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