Under review: permitted development

A potential opportunity

If introduced, the new rules could provide greater flexibility and opportunities for rural landowners.

Permitted development rights are an important tool in supporting growth by allowing certain types of development to go ahead without the need to obtain planning permission.

In a time where under-resourced planning departments often result in planning applications remaining undecided for months, the ability to move forwards more quickly is desirable.

Class Q Questions

Originally introduced in 2014, Class Q was expanded in 2018 to increase the number of homes permitted and encourage the development of smaller homes for rural workers.

The proposed changes to Class Q would allow a larger number of dwellings to be created per landholding – up to 10 – whilst limiting the maximum size of each dwelling to between 100 and 150 sq. m.

Limited extensions of buildings may also be allowed to maximise the development potential of sites. Views are being sought on how physical alterations required to implement a Class Q use are assessed and whether the current approach is fit for purpose. This is often a point of contention with local planning authorities – it would be great to have some clearer guidance on this to avoid inconsistency in local decision making.

Importantly, it is proposed to widen the scope of Class Q to apply in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to enable housing in areas where development opportunities are generally limited.

The scope could be expanded to apply to other disused rural buildings such as equestrian or forestry buildings, and buildings that have had some intervening informal reuse, for example as occasional storage. However, new conditions – such as ensuring a building has existing, suitable access to the public highways, may result in different limitations.

Change of use of larger commercial buildings, hotels and guest houses to residential use is also under consideration.

Class R Review

Proposals to extend the reach of Class R rights to allow the change of agricultural buildings to a wider range of commercial uses are welcome. These include the ability to operate mixed uses on a site, for example, the development of the co-location of processing locally grown produce and a farm shop. It is also proposed to double the maximum floor space that could be changed under Class R to 1,000 sq. m.

As well as the proposed changes to the scope of some permitted development rights, the consultation also seeks views as to how effectively they currently operate, and whether this can be improved.

Alongside this, Defra is also joining in the consultation, with a ‘call for evidence’ in relation to how permitted development rights may give more flexibility to farmers to make the best use of their agricultural units and support the wider rural economy.

Watch this space

Rural Solutions will be responding to the consultation and will share further insights in due course. If you would like to share your views and experiences on how the system could better support rural development, or have a project which could be enabled by permitted development now or in the future, please get in touch at info@ruralsolutions.co.uk