Norwich council to reduce office to house conversions

Worried leaders at City Hall want to bring in changes to the planning process, amid concerns Norwich has been losing too much business space to homes. 

Norwich City Council fears the loss of office space is weakening the centre’s role as an economic hub, while some of the flats which are being created are not of good enough quality. 

Plans to make it more difficult for developers to change the use of offices were dealt a blow in June, when the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) told the council the whole of the city centre is too big an area and it would not allow the directive the council sought. 

But the city authority has come back with revised plans which have been reduced in scope, targeting specific areas, streets and buildings. 

A report going to the council’s sustainable development panel next week said that DLUHC is now “comfortable” with the proposal. 

The recommendations are then due to go to the meeting of the city council's cabinet in December, where they are expected to formally ask the secretary of state to bring in the changes as soon as possible.

The council has created a list of proposed office buildings the plans would apply to, including many around Cattle Market Street, Charing Cross and Prince of Wales Road. 

The city has lost around 30pc of its office stock since a change to planning rules in 2013 which made it easier for commercial properties to become housing. 

Under the current system, developers wanting to change offices into flats do not need formal planning permission. 

City Hall is seeking a power called an ‘Article Four Direction’ to remove what is known as 'permitted development rights'. 

At a meeting in December, Karen Davis, the then cabinet member for social inclusion said conversion in other parts of the country had led to "slum-like conditions". 

She said: “This is about protecting the office area, but also protecting people’s rights to good, secure accommodation.”