Conversion of Commercial to Residential Ends with a Whimper

After last year's bold claims that removing the need for planning permission for conversion of commercial properties to residential could produce 260,000 extra dwellings, the government has now released its response to the consultation exercise on the issue and confirmed that it will progress the idea no further.  All that will be implemented is a change to the General Development Order which will allow the creation of up to 2 flats in existing A1 or A2 (Shop/Retail finance) premises without needing planning permission: the current permitted development rights only allow one additional dwelling.  This only applies to upper floors, so an element of commercial use must remain.  Download the consultation response from the CLG website.