The UK Government recently announced welcome changes to the planning system aimed at streamlining the process to make it easier for developers. The changes currently being consulted on include:
airspace development – the suggestion to amend or remove the 1 July 1948 date as the age of the building that permitted development rights for airspace development apply to. There are suggestions that the prior approval application process could be simplified as well but new requirements could be introduced to protect leaseholders;
extensions to houses – the suggestion that larger extensions be allowed without any form of application for consent. For example, 4m extensions on terraced and semi-detached properties instead of 3m (without needing prior approval), and an extra 1m for detached properties (and so up to 5m with no prior approval); and
electric vehicle charging infrastructure – the suggestion that higher upstands be allowed, and fewer restrictions be applied to these.
There is also a suggested change to national planning policy that would introduce a ‘presumption’ that planning applications for new hosing on previously developed brownfield land should be granted in certain urban local authorities. This presumption should, if interpreted correctly, result in applications for housing being considered less onerously by the designated councils. The affected councils will be those in the most populous cities and urban centres where they have not enabled delivery of 95% of the Government's Housing Delivery Test. For London, it is anticipated that this will result in 17 Boroughs having to apply the presumption based on the latest data.
DLBP has extensive experience advising on and securing consents for airspace developments, residential extensions, EV charging infrastructure, and redevelopment of challenging urban sites - so if any of the above is useful to you in terms of potential development opportunities, please contact our London office on 020 3713 8500 or at contact@dlbp.uk to see we can help you.