Andrew Dismore

Barnet businesses have found themselves “turfed out” of office buildings due to Conservative government changes to planning regulations, Local London Assembly Member Andrew Dismore AM, has found.

 

New analysis by Mr Dismore revealed that Barnet is set to lose 69,195 square metres of office space, the equivalent of over 9 Wembley Stadium football pitches.

 

This is a result of the Conservative Government’s weakening of planning rules which permit the conversion of offices into residential properties, allowing developers to convert office buildings without the need for any planning permission or even to provide any affordable homes in the conversions.

 

Andrew Dismore AM, Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden said:

 

“We have already seen the impact of this crazy policy, with the conversion of Premier House, Edgware from offices to flats, turfing out over 120 small businesses, charities and other organisations. Compare this with Labour–run Camden, who have decided to use an ‘Article 4’ exemption, which overrides permitted development rights. Camden are both preserving office space and promoting better quality homes.

 

“Seeing businesses lose their base across Barnet does nothing to help our local economy. Nor will allowing developers to ride roughshod over planning standards solve the housing crisis, especially as there is no requirement to even pay lip service to the desperate need for affordable homes, unlike in other large planning applications for housing schemes.

 

“The considerable loss of workspace comes as a huge blow to local start-ups and small businesses putting local jobs at risk. This hugely flawed Conservative policy has gone unchallenged by the Conservative Mayor and Barnet Council.”

 

Analysis of data from the London Development Database revealed that across London, between May 2013 and March 2015, there were 2,806 proposals to convert office space into residential property under the permitted development rights. With over 2,000 applications already approved, approximately 1,094,550 square metres of floor space will be lost, the equivalent of 153 Wembley Stadium football pitches.

 

132 of 167 applications were allowed in Barnet resulting in a loss 69,195 square metres of office space. In total, over 9 Wembley Stadium football pitches’ worth of workspace could be lost from the borough.

 

Outer London is disproportionately impacted by the government’s changes, with 746,316 square metres of office space lost, the equivalent of over 104 Wembley football pitches.

 

 

ENDS

 

Notes

 

• The new data on the number of prior approval applications, approved applications and lost floor space is from the London Development Database, and analysed by Andrew Dismore AM.
• An Article 4 Direction is made by a local planning authority. It serves to restrict permitted development rights. It does not in itself prohibit any action but means that a landowner is required to seek planning consent whereas without the Direction this would not be necessary.
• In May 2013, the Conservative Government introduced on a temporary three-year basis a permitted development right scheme, allowing property owners to convert offices into residential properties without the need for planning permission. Permitted development rights allow the conversion of B1 office space into C3 residential without the need for planning permission. Developers need only submit a prior approval application which allows the local authority to consider only transport impacts, contamination risks and flooding risks, but takes away its discretion to decide the application on other policy merits.
• The policy was originally introduced on a temporary three-year basis but last week the Government confirmed that it will be made permanent from 6 April. The figures in this press release relate solely to the office space converted to residential and do not take into account the Government’s decision to make the policy permanent and even widen it to include all B1 which includes light industrial, artist studios, and laboratories.
• Across London 2,806 prior approval applications were made to convert office space into residential between May 2013 and March 2015; 2,003 of these were approved. In Barnet and Camden 314 prior approval applications were made; 253 of these were approved.

	Number of Class J Prior Approvals decided by status between May 2013 and March 2015			Office floor space potentially lost
	Number of applications	Number Approved	Number Refused	Floor Space Lost
LONDON TOTAL	2,806	2,003	803	1,094,550
Barnet	167	132	35	69,195

 

• Approved applications across London will see the loss of 1,094,550 square metres of floor space; 746,316 of lost office space is in outer London; Barnet stands to lose 69,195 square metres of office space. A borough-by-borough breakdown is available here.
• A single Wembley football pitch measure 7,140 square metres. 1,094,550 square metres of lost floor space is the equivalent of 153.3 Wembley football pitches.
• A standard football pitch ranges from 4,050 square metres to 10,800 square metres. We have based calculations on a football pitch sized 4.050 square metres.
• A list of boroughs with temporary exemptions from permitted development can be found here.
• Andrew Dismore AM is the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden