By Mark Smulian | 7 August 2013
Two government policies on the future of high streets could be in conflict, the Local Government Association has warned.
Planning minister Nick Boles yesterday launched a consultation on allowing easier conversion of retail premises to homes or to community facilities such as nurseries.
This would mean that conversions from one use to another would be allowed under a mechanism known as ‘permitted development rights’, without the need for a full planning application.
At present such changes require permission if a building is intended to change from one ‘planning use class’ to another – for example, from a shop to a bank.
But the government has also been using the Portas Pilots programme to try to stimulate high streets as retail areas in the face of competition from out-of-town shopping centres and the internet.
Mike Jones, chair of the LGA environment and housing board, said: ‘This policy could undermine efforts to improve our high streets and lead to some shopping hubs being shut down forever with residents and businesses left powerless to object.’
He said the consultation allowed for ‘prior approval’ – which will give local authorities some control over the appearance of converted buildings – and this had allayed ‘anxieties about the long-term damage that a complete developers’ free-for-all may have done to our high street’.
Under Boles’ proposals, change of use without the need for planning permission would be allowed for:
•retail to residential;
•retail to banks and building societies;
•agricultural to residential, schools or children’s nurseries;
•commercial to children’s nurseries.
Boles said: ‘Thousands of empty and underused buildings, often on the edge of town centres, are going to waste because people do not want the hassle and uncertainty of submitting a planning application.
‘Removing this barrier will bring more people closer to their town centres, providing a much needed boost to local shops and ensuring we make the most of buildings that are already there for new homes, nurseries and schools this country needs.’
