No Back Doors For Office To Resi (Yet)

We noted earlier this year that there would be no more office to residential changes of use under 'Part O' Permitted Development rights under the new General Permitted Development Order 2015. At the moment, the right to switch from B1(a) office use to C3 residential with only a prior approval requirement falls away in May 2016.

More or Less?

There have been around 900 applications for Part O prior approval in each quarter of the last year. As funding for new Part O scheme shrinks due to uncertainties (see below), the Party Conference season is expected to yield a pronouncement on whether Part O rights will be extended. They may be carried over on the basis that:

• existing Part O rights survive for 3 years from prior approval (or deemed approval);