Relaxation of Farm Building Conversion Rules

Farm buildings may be allowed to be converted to residential use without planning permission in the future.  The Department of Communities and Local Government is consulting on changes to the planning regime that would allow redundant farm buildings to be turned into houses of up to 150m².  There would be a limit of three such dwellings per holding.  The right would include authorisation to make limited structural changes to the building and its surroundings to make it suitable for habitation.  If the new change of use right were exercised, then it would not be possible to erect new agricultural buildings under the present Permitted Development rights.  The full consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/greater-flexibilities-for-change-of-use, with a deadline of 15^th October 2013.  It is part of an ongoing coalition government move to free-up the planning process – as seen by the previous changes reported on in May.