Permitted development changes aim to boost housing potential

The UK Government’s consultation is open to express views on permitted development changes, which aim to boost housing potential.

The UK Government has opened a consultation which proposes amendments to permitted development rights that remove barriers to the installation of air-source heat pumps and charging points for electric vehicles.

Changes to the rules on altering and extending properties are also put forward to ensure they provide flexibility for householders as well as change of use is encouraged to turn derelict and under-used buildings into new homes.

Facilitating heat pump take-up:

The UK Government wants to see 600,000 heat pumps installed each year by 2028 to support the decarbonisation of domestic heating.

The present permitted development rights (PDRs) place some restrictions on where heat pumps can be placed. The consultation proposes to:

      • Remove the requirement for a heat pump to be at least 1m away from the property boundary
      • Increase the current limit on the size that heat pump units can be
      • Allow more than one heat pump for detached properties and flats
Supporting the transition to electric cars:

Similarly to heat pumps, current rules place limits on where electric car charging points can be installed and how big they can be.

It is proposed that these restrictions be removed so that wall-mounted outlets and upstands can be installed anywhere within an area lawfully used for off-street parking.

Flexibility for growing families:

Homeowners will be empowered to extend their homes, with proposals that would allow residents to erect larger extensions and loft conversions, and erect bike and bin stores in front gardens. new outbuildings freed from the process of receiving planning permission.

Encouraging change of use:

The UK Government also aims to reduce red tape that stops derelict sites and unused buildings being turned into new homes. Legislation has been laid in Parliament to extend current permitted development rights, so that commercial buildings of any size can be converted into new homes, with the intention that shops, offices, and other buildings can be quickly repurposed, resulting in thousands of quality new homes. 

 

Respond to the consultation that is open until 9 April 2024.

 

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