ARTICLE · 18 APRIL 2011

Planning: Changes From Commercial To Residential Use

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang

Explore more from CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang

As foreshadowed in the Budget, the Government has now started a formal consultation on relaxing the planning rules for changes of use from commercial to residential.

United KingdomGovernment, Public Sector

Chris Willliams

Ashley Damiral

As foreshadowed in the Budget, the Government has now started a formal consultation on relaxing the planning rules for changes of use from commercial to residential.

The Government's view is that this responds to a recognised and urgent need to increase housing supply at a national level, and that in general housing is likely to have fewer wider land-use impacts than commercial uses. The Government also considers this will promote regeneration of commercial land and help bring empty commercial buildings back into productive use.

The intention is to amend the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 to allow changes of use from commercial to residential as permitted development, rather than requiring planning applications.

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