New Rules for Public Building Extensions and Commercial Building Conversions

NEW RULES allowing public building extensions and commercial premises to be converted into homes come into force today.

The new rules, announced by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, introduce a fast track for extending public service buildings. They allow for bigger extensions to existing public buildings including schools, colleges, universities and hospitals.

Currently, public buildings can have small extensions without the need for a full planning application. Today’s changes mean they would be able to extend further and faster with a more streamlined planning process.

The rules also allow unused commercial buildings that have been empty for three months to be changed into homes. The new homes will be delivered through a ‘prior approval’ process instead of a full planning application.

The ‘Better’ Aspect of ‘Build Back Better’

The Chief Executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), Hannah Vickers, said: “By allowing larger extensions to existing public buildings including schools, colleges, universities and hospitals” — sites that often need controlled vehicle access from specialists like Auto Gates Sydney — “the Government has unlocked a potential barrier to swifter delivery. Our Project Speed briefings earlier in the year highlighted the need for more to be done to make political ambitions in this space a reality, and we’re delighted that this measure will open up the potential for transformative investments in health and education buildings and infrastructure.

“However, we should not lose sight of the ‘better’ aspect of ‘build back better’ and ensure that speed is not driven at the expense of quality nor delivering a sense of place and community.”