The Government has issued a new Statutory Instrument, the The Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development and Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020, that will come into force on the 1st of August 2020. The document introduces new permitted development rights to add up to two storeys of additional accommodation to create additional flats on the top of existing purpose built, detached flat blocks.
The regulations set out that there are certain instances where the right will not apply, For example, buildings have to be of at least three storeys in height now and no more than 30 metres total height. Additionally, the building must have been constructed after the 1st of July 1948 and the 5th of March 2018, and the rights do not apply in conservation or national parks, or to listed buildings.
The rights are subject to a requirement that prior approval must first be sought from the local authority. When an application for prior approval is made the considerations for the local authority will include highways and air traffic impacts, contamination, flood risk, design, and that all of the habitable rooms within the extension will receive adequate natural light.
If you have any queries in respect of the new permitted development rights or would like to discuss a site that you feel could benefit from the new rights then please do not hesitate to contact us.
