Permitted Development Rights

Nicky Gavron AM moved, and Léonie Cooper AM seconded the following motion:

"The London Assembly notes the government’s proposal to create a new Permitted Development Right to allow all uses encompassed within Use-Class E to be converted into residential without going through the planning system. This subsumes and expands previous PDRs for shops, light industry and offices, to now include banks and estate agents, restaurants and cafes, gyms and indoor sports facilities, nurseries, creches and day care, GP surgeries and health centres. This PDR would apply to buildings of any size, anywhere, including in conservation areas and current Article 4 directions would not apply.

The Assembly has previously unanimously passed motions in opposition to Permitted Development Rights, including Office to Residential Permitted Development Right as a result of which we saw occupiers and tenants evicted to make way for substandard housing.

While recognising that town centres do need renewal, and that the high-street is in a state of transition, we believe that our highstreets and town centres are best planned by local authorities, in partnership with local communities and businesses.

The London Assembly believes that allowing random and uncontrolled conversions to residential risks irreversible damage to London’s highstreets and town centres - from local to international. The risk is not just to the economic recovery of London, but to Londoner’s livelihoods and to crucial services and amenities upon which Londoner’s rely. Moreover, this PDR would undermine the ability of local authorities to democratically manage developments their areas and respond to the needs of their communities.

We agree with the 27 businesses and organisations who wrote to the Secretary of State stating that this PDR “risks putting the long-term health of our town centres at risk for the sake of a short-term stimulus”

This Assembly therefore asks the Chair to write to the Secretary of State and to the Prime Minister to note the Assembly’s concerns and urge them to reconsider implementing this proposed new Permitted Development Right.”

Following debate and upon being put to a vote, the motion was agreed unanimously.