15 October 2015, Seven months on from the Government enacting the General Permitted Development Order 2015, which consolidated numerous changes to permitted development rights, the Government has recently announced further amendments. Most notably this includes making the rights relating to offices to residential permanent. Previously these were due to expire in May 2016. We understand that this will effectively extend the time limit for schemes that already have prior approval.

Local planning authorities will continue to have the ability to make Article 4 directions, effectively enabling them to remove permitted development rights. This announcement may encourage some local planning authorities to re-evaluate the need to introduce such powers.

Additional future permitted development rights will allow for the change of use of light industrial buildings to residential, and the ability to demolish office buildings and replace with new build residential. However, the full details of how this will work have yet to be released.

Should you have any further queries, do not hesitate in contacting a member of the planning team.