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The government has today announced legislation in Parliament to extend current Permitted Development Rights so that commercial buildings of any size can be converted into new homes. We have today heard from Duncan Rudall, CEO, The National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) and here are his thoughts on this:
“Today’s consultation announcement is welcome news, not just for those looking to get onto the property ladder, but also for the many thousands of people who make up the demolition industry, which has had its resilience continually tested by tough economic conditions. Creating new homes is a vital activity, and urgent action must be taken to meet demand.
Cutting the red tape that has held back the redevelopment of commercial spaces is a necessary step forward towards this goal, but it must be undertaken in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Consequently, we expect our members to see an increase in demand for their expertise in saving damaged structures, or correcting defects, which otherwise may have rendered a building unusable, therefore ensuring safety of local communities and the wellbeing of the environment.”
We also heard from: Vernon Pethard, Managing Director of leading property portal, newhomesforsale.co.uk on the matter.
"Speeding up the planning procedures to enable brownfield sites to be developed would be a step in the right direction but this has been talked about before so it needs to be followed through and executed. Providing homes close to where people work also reduces the need for long commutes which brings both financial, social and ecological benefits.
However while this measure goes some way to tackle the ‘where’, more is need to be done on the ‘how’ with affordability being a major problem for first time buyers especially and the need for the resurrection of the governments much-missed ‘help to buy’ scheme becoming even more imperative.”
