The relaxation of planning legislation announced this week by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) could pave the way for a new Bath city centre residential community.
As we have previously reported, the shake-up allows the conversion of offices (B1a) to dwelling houses (C3) without the need to apply to the local authority for planning permission.
The Government believes that planning red-tape hinders development and that making it easier to transform offices into homes will help to ease Britain’s housing crisis and breathe new life into empty office buildings.
Speaking to the local press David Mackenzie, of Carter Jonas, says this is great news for Bath where many of the Georgian terraces were originally built as homes and have, over time, switched to commercial use.
Converting these buildings could create a new residential district in the centre of a World Heritage Site and prompt the refurbishment of the properties that commercial occupation does not support.
However there are potentially two hurdles facing developers in Bath. The first is that local authorities are entitled to apply for exemption from the new laws if they can convince the DCLG that the loss of office space would be damaging to the local economy.
Currently Bath and North East Somerset Council is considering its options and it’s unlikely that there will be any redevelopments before the authority has made its position clear.
Secondly any outward physical changes to the buildings will still require planning permission which may not be easy to obtain given Bath’s World Heritage status.
The government’s shake-up of planning regulations has been broadly welcomed by the industry. The British Property Federation (BPF) says that it is good news for those seeking homes and that the measures will also benefit the wider community and local authorities.
Others fear that it will lead to landlords getting rid of commercial tenants in order to cash in on rising residential rents. Eventually it could lead to the irreversible erosion of affordable office space for small businesses, they argue.
Chris Brown, of Igloo Regeneration told the Guardian that the creative industries will be among those losing out.
“Those places like Tech City will be increasingly vulnerable as business leases tend to be shorter than three years,” he said.
Michael Bach, of the London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies, Is another opponent of the use classes relaxation. He fears it could lead to a ‘cleansing’ of small office properties in many areas.
Meanwhile it has emerged today that more local authorities have joined the City of London in seeking exemption from the legislation. According to bdonline both Westminster and Southwark councils believe the relaxation of planning laws could have a negative impact on employment space.
In addition, Sheffield City Council is considering its position while Manchester City Council has commissioned a report into the implications of the legislation before deciding which course to take. Local authorities have until February 22 to apply for exemption.
