Councils call for permitted development rights to be urgently revoked

There is "no place in the current or future planning system for permitted development (PD) rights", in particular those which permit the creation of new homes, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.

Writing in a scathing response to the Government's consultation on proposed extensions to permitted development rights, the LGA said the deregulated policy undermines councils' planning policies and place-making ambitions.

The consultation, which closed on 9 April, sought views on changes to permitted development rights specifically involving householder development, building upwards, demolition and rebuild, recharging electric vehicles and air source heat pumps.

The Government claimed the changes could help growing families maximise the potential of existing homes, support the delivery of new homes, and provide flexibility to homeowners in installing electric vehicle charging outlets.

However, in its response, the LGA said it strongly opposes extending national permitted development rights further and called for them to be urgently revoked.

The LGA said: "Local Government cannot oversee the planning and delivery of the right homes in the right places if PD rights continue to undermine and override their decision-making powers.

"New homes and buildings created through PD rights represent a disconnected approach to development that damages and weakens councils' and their communities' strategic long-term decisions and place-making ambitions."

Permitted development rights affect the ability for councils to make decisions that reflect local need and preserve and enhance the unique and distinctive character of their area, the response added.

The LGA also said that it could not see how the Government's commitment to enshrine a plan-led system with new powers for local goovernment in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act could be squared with also pushing forward with new permitted development rights which disenfranchise councils.

Extending permitted development any further will also mean that councils will lose out on more Section 106 contributions "at a time when these are most needed", the LGA warned.

"If the Government is minded to retain PD rights, then as a minimum it should urgently introduce mechanisms by which affordable housing and infrastructure contributions can be secured in order to meet Local Plan requirements," the response said.

Adam Carey