Permitted Development Rights

(asked on 15th October 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Written Statement of 1 July 2021, HCWS145, on revitalising high streets and town centres, what additional guidance his Department has provided to local planning authorities on Article 4 directions.


Answered by
Christopher Pincher Portrait
Christopher Pincher
This question was answered on 20th October 2021

Permitted development rights provide greater flexibility for businesses to change use, responding quickly to changing market demands without the need for a planning application. Where a local authority considers that a specific permitted development right is not appropriate in a particular location, and that a planning application should be required, it may introduce an Article 4 direction to remove that permitted development right. From 1 July, our policy requires that all Article 4 directions should be targeted, based on robust evidence and apply to the smallest geographical area possible. This provides a balance between protecting core high streets and town centres without unnecessarily restricting the flexibilities provided by permitted development rights.

Reticulating Splines