Converting Shops To Flats ‘Could Lead To Low-Quality Homes’

New planning laws to make it easier to turn empty shops into flats could result in poor-quality homes with “absolutely no privacy”, campaigners claim. However, a separate rule change should mean an end to tiny “rabbit hutch” flats. The coronavirus pandemic is changing the face of the UK’s high streets, with thousands of shops having closed permanently since the first lockdown in March 2020. At the same time, calls for more homes to be created continue to get louder. Read more on the Guardian website.

Converting shops to flats ‘could lead to low-quality homes’ | Property | The Guardian 

UK High Streets Could Be Turned Into Housing

Promises by government ministers to revitalise high streets with a new breed of shops should be abandoned in favour of turning town centres into residential hubs, creating at least 800,000 homes, according to a report that aims to influence a Downing Street review of planning laws. The Social Market Foundation (SMF) said the decline of the traditional high street could not be reversed by policies that “turn the clock back” to a time before online shopping, especially after the trend accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic. Empty shops should be given a new lease of life as homes or be torn down in favour of modern apartments. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/22/uk-high-streets-could-be-turned-into-housing-says-thinktank

Disused Shops Could Be Used To Tackle Housing Crisis, Says May

Former shops could be turned into homes as online shopping reshapes high streets, Theresa May has said, as she called for a “great national effort” by the government, developers and councils to tackle the housing crisis. Answering questions after a speech, the prime minister said fresh approaches were needed, including using disused buildings of various types to create new homes. Asked whether this should include retail spaces, May said it was important to prevent high streets from being hollowed out. “Often there’s a very good argument for having homes being built in the centre of town, accessible to shops, accessible to transport infrastructure as well.” Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/05/local-authorities-criticise-theresa-may-housing-crisis

Councils Could Lose Millions by Converting Shops to Homes

Based on official figures, the Government would miss out on £1bn in business rates payments over the next decade if just a quarter of the empty shops in Britain are converted into houses and flats.  This would mean that cash-strapped local councils, who share business rates receipts with Westminster, would lose £500m. However, the proposal, which is designed to revitalise town centres as well as help solve Britain’s housing shortage, risks creating a financial blackhole for local councils. The estimated tax loss is based on the shortfall councils will face from council tax paid by the occupants of the new homes, compared to the business rates paid by retailers or lands when it was a commercial property.  Read more on the Daily Telegraph website.

Government Must Not Repeat Past Mistakes

The property industry has told the Government to “learn from its mistakes” if proposals to make it easier to convert empty shops into homes is to gain ground.  Harking back to the previous changes to planning rules, that were expected to make it easier to deliver new homes by allowing the conversion of empty office buildings – before it got bogged down in exemptions – the British Property Federation (BPF) gave a cautious welcome to the latest proposals, with the proviso that ministers learned the lessons of the office-to-residential experience. Read more on the Housing Excellence website.

Rules Could Be Relaxed For Shops to Become Homes

Empty high street shops could be converted into homes without planning permission under consultation proposals just announced. The CLG permitted development rights consultation paper will recommend allowing developers to convert empty shops into offices or flats.  Planning minister Nick Boles will ask councils to focus on ‘prime shopping streets’ while opening others up for residential conversions. The planning minister also suggested allowing barns to be turned into small housing developments in a bid to combat the rural affordable housing crisis.   Read more on Inside Housing.