New rural planning rules welcomed but caution required

Rules that will allow agricultural buildings to be used for non-farming business ventures without the need for change of use planning consent have been welcomed by Savills as good news for the rural economy.
But Savills estate management and planning specialists caution that the relaxation of legislation is not a blank cheque for development.
The new Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) announced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles last week (May 9) apply to buildings under 500 square metres and are part of a range of measures designed to make the most of redundant or under-utilised property. They will allow changes to a number of other business activities such as shops, offices and workshops.
"This cuts through some of the red tape for farmers and landowners who want to diversify and create new income streams by providing storage facilities, for example," comments John Wootton, head of estate management for Savills in the East.
However, Savills planning director David Henry adds: "While these PDRs are undoubtedly a good thing, as ever, the devil is in the detail. 
"It's important to remember that this applies only to change of use; if you need to make significant alterations to the building or its surroundings physically, you may still need planning consent. And to change the use of buildings of between 150 and 500 square metres it will still be necessary to have the prior approval of the local authority. This is to ensure the change does not have adverse impacts on the neighbourhood, for example due to unacceptable noise and traffic. Controls on listed buildings and the like will also continue as before."
John Wootton concludes: "The Government will be looking into the issue of residential conversion in more detail over the summer but as things stand at the moment the new PDRs could benefit agricultural landowners who want to move more swiftly to capture a new business opportunity. Overall, what these measures do is simplify matters but it's crucial to be clear exactly what can and can't be done before anyone makes any plans."

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