Brokenshire To Look Again At Office-To-Residential Conversions

The government will review the conversion of offices into homes without planning permission after a leading Conservative MP lambasted the policy for allowing ‘social cleansing’. Reforms to permitted development rights in 2013 have allowed developers to convert offices into residences without planning permission. Conservative MP for Harlow Robert Halfon told Parliament this week the policy had not worked. “It has allowed landlord to build ghettos. It’s allowed London councillors to socially cleanse their most vulnerable families to places like Harlow,” he said. Halfon urged the government to reform the permitted development rules, adding that Harlow had not received any extra resources “to deal with the extra burden” for providing more doctors, schools, social services and police. Read more on the Planning Portal website.

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