Relaxing planning rules for change of use from commercial to residential would damage economic recovery and be unworkable, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has argued, in a response to a consultation from the Communities and Local Government Department (DCLG).
Trudi Elliott, RTPI Chief Executive, said: ‘There is a need to preserve land and premises for a range of employment activities that are in the most appropriate locations to meet business needs. The danger with these proposals is that the most appropriate locations are lost forever to housing, and that start-up and expanding businesses will face a shortage of affordable premises in the most advantageous locations.’
In its response to the consultation, the RTPI argues that the proposals are also at odds with localism and do not fit with neighbourhood planning. They will create an imbalance in the process of supporting sustainable communities, and are contrary to the general thrust of government policy. Removing communities’ ability to manage development in their area is not in the interests of local communities and reflects a lack of understanding of the wider role of the planning process.
The RTPI believes that the greatest benefit both to the community and to organisations wishing to create more homes is at the plan-making stage, which allows a balance to be struck between competing needs for housing, employment and other land uses, and to ensure that all uses are located in the most appropriate sites, with the necessary supporting infrastructure.
RTPI Article: LINK
