Sadiq Khan plans to change PD rights

Sadiq Khan plans to change PD rights



Sadiq Khan has announced plans to limit the conversion of office space into residential units.


The Mayor of London expressed concerns that space for nearly 94,000 jobs could be lost in London as a result of the government’s permitted development rights, which means that over 1.47 million square metres of office space could have already been converted into residential units.

Mr Khan wants to put new measures in place to protect and expand office space for small businesses and work with the government to make changes to permitted development rights.

"These new figures lay bare the impact that the government’s misguided policies are having on space for business in London.  

“Of course we need new homes, but this does not need to be at the expense of the space we need for the businesses that provide our jobs and drive our prosperity.”

Mr Khan felt that space which was genuinely surplus to commercial needs should be identified authoritatively and released carefully so it did not undermine local businesses.

“As mayor, I will be focusing on building new affordable homes on publicly and privately owned brownfield land, while changing the London Plan in order to protect viable business space and to create new start-up spaces in housing developments.”

Mr Khan also wanted to promote schemes to provide linked affordable housing and business space in new housing developments as he felt there needed to be more control over where office space can be converted to residential use.

“Over the next four years, I will be working to build the thousands of affordable houses we need in London at the same time as increasing the good quality space available for small business, start-ups and entrepreneurs.   

“This is just one of the many pro-business measures I’ll be setting out in the coming months.”



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