Lambeth challenges Government's office-to-residential free-for-all

202-230 Wandsworth Road

According to ITN News Lambeth Council has launched a new legal challenge against Government legislation which allows offices in employment-generating areas to be turned into flats without the need for permission for change of use:

The council argue that other boroughs, such as Kensington and Chelsea applied to have their whole borough exempt and succeeded - yet Lambeth has been left at a severe disadvantage by having their key business areas undermined by landlords who now want to turn offices into flats.

Lambeth Councillor Pete Robbins, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, said: Landlords in Brixton and Streatham have been handed a free reign to turn offices into flats - it's simply unacceptable.  

"The new regulations could harm trade in these key areas and raise the prospect of job losses, lost business rates and reduced funding for infrastructure."

These permitted development rights (PDRs) came into force at the end of May 2013 and permit change of use from B1(a) offices to C3 residential use without the need to apply for planning permission.  It applies only to buildings in B1(a) office use before 30 May 2013 and expires (as things currently stand) on 30 May 2016. Changes of use effected by this route will not require developers to follow affordable housing or any other policies within the Local Plan.

Meanwhile the conversion of commercial space to apartments locally (see here for the post about Freeman's) continues apace: Meridian South Developments have applied for change of use to convert office space into seven residential units on the ground floor of the old South Bank University at 202-230 Wandsworth Road, London, SW8. More info here. I've no idea why these two need to apply for planning permission. I'm sure it's all even more complicated than it seems.

Update

More here: http://lambethnews.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/lambeth-council-takes-on-government-in-bid-to-protect-jobs/

Apparently the Judicial Review highlights Lambeth council’s concern that there was a lack of transparency around deciding which areas to exempt from this legislation.