Planning Minister Greg Clark says the Government could scrap red tape in order to encourage 'meanwhile uses' of empty buildings, transforming them into new shops, business start-ups, and community projects.
Empty properties can lead to a spiral of decline, spoil high streets, and act as a magnet for anti-social behaviour. Meanwhile uses are a way of putting a vacant space back into good use for the benefit of
the whole community while a permanent solution is found.
In London's Exmouth Market, for example, a shop lying empty for two years has been transformed by social enterprise Meanwhile Space into a hub offering space to business start-ups and community-focused
projects. Shop space has already been booked by a furniture business and a vintage wares store eager to try out their business idea.
Mr Clark believes that it should be easier for businesses and communities to arrange "meanwhile uses" for empty buildings without having to jump through unnecessary hoops in the planning system.
The Minister signalled that the Government could scrap rules requiring costly and time consuming planning permission in order to temporarily change the use of empty buildings, as part of a future wider review on deregulating the used class orders system.
This could help reinvigorate local high streets, encourage community enterprises; support entrepreneurs to start-up, contribute to economic growth; and help build stronger, more vibrant communities.
Mr Clark said:
"Empty properties can drain the life away from town centres and are a waste of a valuable social and economic resource.
"We want to make it easier for businesses and community enterprises to reanimate vacant spaces, helping to revive struggling high streets and kick-start local growth.
"Removing bureaucratic barriers in the planning system could play a major part in encouraging meanwhile uses of empty buildings, transforming them into new shops, business start-ups and community projects."
Eddie Bridgeman from Meanwhile Space, a social enterprise which brings
empty spaces back into use, said:
"We welcome the fact that the Government is considering getting rid of the need for planning permission for the temporary use of buildings.
"This could give a big boost to getting business and community enterprises into empty premises."
Removing the need for planning permission to temporarily change the use of empty buildings could be a key part of a future Government consultation on deregulating the use class order system. The Government wants to hear similar ideas and views on how the 'change of use' part of the planning system can be improved.
The Government is already working to cut down planning bureaucracy and has announced a full review of national planning policy by 2012. For example it is already consulting on allowing commercial property to be changed into residential property without needing planning permission. This could create 70,000 new homes over 10 years.
The Plan for Growth, published alongside the Budget in March, set out a radical plan of reform to help deliver strong, balanced and sustainable growth in the long term. Reform of the planning system is a key element of that, and today's announcement is another step to creating the right conditions for businesses, to start up, invest and grow.