DCLG tell us they have no news on when they will be able to confirm either the transitional arrangements for those of you with unimplemented prior approvals for a PD change from office to residential, or regarding the next round of PD changes included in the recent Housing and Planning Bill. Apparently the Government has yet to complete its due process on these initiatives and they have not yet advised DCLG when this process might be completed. For building owners who wish to roll their approved PD change over beyond the end of this May, the situation is not at all helpful. Indeed we are aware of such situations where the client does not wish to lose their PD change to residential but at the same time does not wish to serve notice on a valuable tenant, continuing to take rental income beyond the end of May 2016.
This does not looked like joined up, efficient government to us! While a great deal of activity is taking place regarding the response to recent flooding; building on public sector owned land; encouraging new forms of affordable housing; seeking to sort out the Syrian refugee crisis and renegotiating our relationship with Europe, providing the market with much need certainty on this extremely helpful permitted development initiative does not seem to be seen as a priority, given the end of May deadline is now only a few months away.
John Foddy Managing Director FoddyConsult
john@foddyconsult.co.uk