"It's immoral to the highest degree," says Lord True, a Conservative peer and leader of Richmond council. He is not talking about shady offshore firms, money laundering or even tax evasion -he is talking about permitted development rights (PDR), which allow developers to convert commercial property to housing without planning permission. Initially a temporary means to increase housing supply, the government made PDR for office-to-resi conversions a permanent part of the UK's development landscape earlier this year. Many irritated councils have rushed to implement article 4 directions - which give exemptions from PDR in specified areas - and there is a growing sense that the loss of London office space is becoming a big issue.
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