After the Prime Minister's speech on our economic recovery earlier today, the Housing Secretary has written to MPs outlining a range of measures being taken to remove red tape from businesses and allow them to adapt to our post-pandemic environment. The letter is below.
For example, premises that fall within a particular use class will be able to change from one use to another without the need for planning permission. Key community services will be excluded, such as pubs and theatres, as well as those that would require more public consultation.
A new permitted development right has been created which will allow free-standing vacant and redundant commercial and residential buildings to be demolished – and rebuilt as residential use within the footprint of the existing building. Further permitted development rights will allow upwards extensions of buildings – to provide new homes and allow for home extensions. Existing buildings in commercial and residential uses will be allowed to construct additional storeys to create new homes or provide space for growing families to extend, making best use of our low-density locations.In return, there will be a requirement to carefully consider both the impact on neighbours and the appearance of the extension.
I am particularly excited by the launch of the Affordable Homes Programme, with discounted house prices for first-time buyers and a Shared Ownership Scheme for those who could not otherwise afford a home. Of course, the plan for 180,000 homes over the next eight years embodies the Prime Minister's ambitions to 'build, build, build'.
Local authorities are being given hundreds of millions to transform blighted brownfield sites, unlock around 24,000 high-quality homes in our towns and cities, and to take advantage of the new permitted development rights mentioned.