Planning Permission

(asked on 3rd March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department’s plans to accelerate planning permission have taken into account any of the unintended consequences caused by relaxing permitted development rights for the indoor and outdoor built environment; and what assessment he has made of the effect of those changes to planning permission on people's health and wellbeing.


Answered by
Christopher Pincher Portrait
Christopher Pincher
This question was answered on 10th March 2021

We recently consulted on proposals for a new permitted development right which will allow more premises to change from a commercial, business or service use to residential use, so that more much needed new homes can be created. Other proposals would provide for the larger extension of schools and hospitals. The consultation closed on 28 January and we are currently considering the responses received.

In response to concerns raised in respect of the quality of some of the homes delivered through permitted development rights for change of use, we now require that adequate natural light be provided in all habitable rooms, and we have legislated to ensure that in future all new homes delivered through permitted development rights will meet Nationally Described Space Standards. We have also introduced temporary flexibilities enabling local authorities to hold outdoor markets, granting communities access to food and goods outdoors.

Reticulating Splines