RSN Joins Call To End Permitted Development Rules Costing 28,000 Affordable Homes

Campaigners from local government, housing providers, and homelessness charities have signed an open letter calling on Government to scrap permitted development rights (PDR) that have cost thousands of affordable homes.

New analysis by the Local Government Association has found that just shy of 28,000 affordable homes have not been delivered due to office-to-residential conversions under PDR in the past 11 years.

However, an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is making its way through Parliament, could arrest this trend by removing a raft of PDR.

The letter, which is signed by 39 organisations, including The Rural Services Network, Shelter, the National Housing Federation, the Town and Country Planning Association, the Royal Town Planning Institute and the G15, is released as the Bill is next due to be debated in Parliament, calls on the Government to support the amendment, introduced by Baroness Thornhill and formally adopt it into the Bill.

Analysis predicts that over 110,000 new houses were converted from offices-to- residential under PDR, where full planning permission is not required, since 2013.

This means that councils were unable to enforce affordable housing or infrastructure contributions from developers for these properties, or ensure that new homes delivered were high-quality, climate-resilient or suitably located.

This means that nearly 28,000 affordable homes were not able to be delivered as a result, the analysis found.

The LGA has long called for the removal of PDR which permit the creation of new homes, without contributions towards affordable housing and local infrastructure, and controls to ensure new homes are of a decent standard – which the amendment would achieve.

Studies, including the Government’s own research, have consistently shown that homes created through PDR are more likely to be sub-standard, smaller, darker, poorly ventilated and in unsuitable locations such as industrial estates and business parks.

The stark figures come as the number of households turning to their council for support and requiring temporary accommodation has climbed to 131,000.

If office-to residential conversions had paid their fair share, it would be the equivalent of one in every five families currently in temporary accommodation being able to have a permanent, affordable home.

Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the LGA, said:

"As councils and communities face the stark reality of limited and poor-quality housing supply, this amendment could be a game changer.

PDR allows developers to avoid contributing to affordable housing in the local area which has a real world impact – a fifth of families in temporary accommodation could be permanently housed.

We hope that this amendment secures sufficient backing as the Planning and Infrastructure Bill progresses through the house and will help councils to play their key role in delivering the high-quality houses that our country sorely needs."

Baroness Thornhill, who is a Vice President of the LGA and brought the amendment, said:

"The impact of certain PDR rules has gone much further than was ever anticipated when they were first bought in, it is time they were scrapped.

Councils – and communities – are losing out significantly because developers are able to circumvent the democratic planning process.

Making this change could mean better quality development, which has the benefit of proper oversight and consideration, and helps bring forward much needed affordable housing."

Read the open letter here

Rural affordable housing and planning will be a key focus at the National Rural Conference 2025. Join us on Tuesday 16 September (10:00–12:00) for our dedicated session exploring how policy and practice can better support affordable, high-quality homes in rural areas. Find out more and view the full programme here.