Too many offices being turned into sub-standard homes says councillor

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council are to call for a review on the wide-ranging impact of permitted development rights that allows offices to be converted into residential homes without planning permission. 

District and Thame Town Councillor, Kate Gregory

The Liberal Democrat District Councillor and Ward member for Thame,  Cllr Kate Gregory, who put forward the motion at the latest district council meeting,  said: “Currently developers do not have to contribute towards affordable housing or local infrastructure and there is no ability to consider whether the development provides suitable levels of amenity space, privacy or sunlight. 

“We also have the issue with job loss space. When an office is converted to residential use office floor space is lost and in Thame alone, we have lost 654 jobs worth of office space since 2013. 

“Permitted Development Rights effectively gives developers a free pass to create new homes of any type, of any quality in any location providing the building began its life as an office. 

“Some of the horror stories include homes of just 13.7m2 and homes with no windows. When the office to residential change first came into place, I don’t believe this was the intention and it desperately needs reviewing.” 

The Leader of the council will now write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to call for a review of the wide-ranging impacts of permitted development rights which allow change of use into residential homes.