Office to Homes Reforms 'Must Be Less Ambiguous'

Change of use reforms need to be made clearer to prevent councils delaying their use, says a real estate advisory firm.  The changes, which came into force in May, allow developers to convert office space into homes without local authority consent.  But Nick Belsten, director of planning at firm CBRE, warned applications could still be hamstrung by obstructive council because of the ‘complex and time limited’ reforms.  He said local authorities might refuse applications to push the developer into going through the appeal process. Read more on Inside Housing.