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.
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.