Retail To Residential Conversions Down 17%

Despite having the backing of the Government, the number of retail to residential conversions have fallen by 17% in the last year in England, new figures suggest. Shop conversions are stubbornly low despite retail industry struggles and there are reports of some councils starting to restrict conversions, according to a new report from private wealth law firm Boodle Hatfield. The number of retail properties approved for conversion to residential property has dropped 17% from 453 in 2017/2018 to just 376 in 2018/2019, the research shows. Read more on the Property Wire website.

https://www.propertywire.com/news/uk/retail-to-residential-conversions-down-17-despite-growing-retail-vacancy-rates/

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.