News: 5th March 2024
March 2024 Class MA changes
Two significant amendments to Class MA have come into effect:
First, the rule that stated that a property had to be vacant for three months prior to submitting an application has now been removed. This means there is no minimum amount of time a building needs to have been vacant before going ahead with an application, so expediting the process.
Secondly, the 1500 sqm size limit has now been removed. This is important as in the past, developers wanting to convert buildings with more than 1500 sqm of floor space could only partially convert their properties, rather than converting the whole.
However, all of the other requirements still need to be met, including the national space standards, noise impact, and sufficient natural light in all habitable rooms.
So, why have these changes come into play and what do they mean?
Well, in the Explanatory Memorandum attached to the order, the Government explained a few things.
They said the changes are being made to ‘further support housing supply’ and they produced some impressive statistics to highlight the key role they believe permitted development rights play in easing the housing crisis.
Namely, in the eight years to March 2023, permitted development rights for the change of use have delivered 102,830 new homes to rent or to buy, plus in the last 12 months, these rights supplied 9,492 homes to England, equating to 4% of the overall housing supply that year.
When asking ourselves whether these changes are positive or negative, there are arguments for both sides, particularly when it comes to the size restriction being removed.
Those on board with the changes will celebrate the easing of the rules and embrace an increased supply of much-needed housing, while those against will argue that the change could reduce the standard of these types of homes, that the sense of community could be worsened due to a lack of communal space and that it will further damage already struggling high streets by reducing the number of commercial spaces.
It remains to be seen over the coming months and years what the wider impact of the changes will be.
