The latest government figures show that 23,990 affordable houses have been lost as a result of office-to-residential conversions under permitted development in the past decade, new analysis by the Local Government Association warns.
A total of 95,962 new houses have been converted from offices under permitted development rights (PDR), where full planning permission is not required, since 2015. Without the need for full planning permission, there is no mechanism for local authorities to enforce affordable housing or infrastructure contributions from developers.
The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, said that permitted development rights undermine and weaken the role of Local Plans and local communities in decision-making and compromises councils’ ability to manage the supply, location and quality of homes delivered in their areas.
As the Government continues to reform the planning system to ensure more social and genuinely affordable homes are delivered, the LGA are urging the Government to revoke unfettered permitted development rights which permit the creation of new homes without contributions towards affordable housing and local infrastructure and controls to ensure new homes are of a decent standard. However, if the Government is minded to retain these rights then it must urgently introduce mechanisms by which affordable housing and infrastructure contributions can be secured.
Cllr Adam Hug, LGA housing spokesperson, said: “The Government has set an ambitious target to deliver 1.5 million more homes over the parliament.
“Permitted development allows premises such as offices, agricultural buildings, shops, restaurants and light industry to be converted into houses without the need to provide any affordable homes. These premises can result in poor quality housing and it means that councils face losing out on more Section 106 contributions for infrastructure to support new developments and affordable housing at a time when these are most needed.
“In order to deliver more housing of a decent standard, councils need the right powers, skills, resources and funding to act and want to work with government and the development and housebuilding industry.”
