Footing the bill

摘要

Lost in the government's gnashing teeth over the rejection of the tax credits changes by the House of Lords, the new Housing and Planning Bill entered its second reading stage this month. It is a piece of primary legislation that could have a significant effect on all those involved in the built environment. There are predictions that the upper chamber, with its newfound ferocity following the tax credits debacle, may make this bill the second front on which it intends to fight. From a political standpoint it should really be renamed the "Residential Housing Bill" as a key motivator for the proposed legislative changes is the desire to streamline planning consent to get the needed 250,000+ new homes built as quickly as possible - no bad thing. However, also hidden away in the small print is the affirmation of "permitted development" rights, allowing offices and light-industrial buildings to be converted into housing, apparently without the need for local authority permission, nor the usual obligations to provide affordable housing. First introduced as a temporary measure in 2013 to promote housing and due to expire in May 2016, the new legislation would see the rule made permanent.