On 26 March 2015, a new General Permitted Development Order was laid before Parliament.
Following the countless amendments to the former Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, the old provision was disjointed and needed an overhaul.
Step forward the new Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (SI 2015/596), which replaces the previous provision as above.
The new Order 2015 contains all Permitted Development rights including house extensions, changes of use, agricultural development rights, the erection of fencing and the installation of solar panels to name but a few.
As part of the new Order 2015, the Government also released further Permitted Development changes which is exciting news for many of our clients.
Firstly the negatives, the previous loophole for practically unlimited front house extensions when the house was not facing the road has been removed. Further, Class O (formerly Class J) which allowed the change of use of office buildings to residential use has not been extended past its 30 May 2016 deadline.
More positively, the Government has slightly rearranged the controversial Class Q (formerly Class MB) agricultural building to residential change of use. Importantly to note, if the Council approves your Class Q application you now have three years from the date of the decision to complete the works. Previously, the time limit required the works to only begin within three years. Do not get caught out!
Additionally, a new provision, Class P, has been introduced allowing the change of use of storage and distribution buildings to dwellings, subject to a number of tests.
Finally, the 2013 Permitted Development rights which allowed larger house extensions has been extended to 30 May 2019. Previously, this provision was to run out next year.
These are just a small number of changes included in the new Order, however this now gives individuals more power and less red-tape than ever before in recent times.
We remind you of Harold Macmillan’s famous saying that “you have never had it so good”, and we advise house and land owners to investigate development opportunities now!
Read more about Permitted Development or Contact Patrick Durr Associates for more information.