Planning Applications for change of use

Can you tell me how many applications your council has received to convert empty office space into residential homes since May 1 last year?

In total, for all the above applications combined how many homes were proposed?

As of February 1, how many of the above applications had been granted and in total for how many homes?

As of February 1, how many of the above applications had been rejected and in total for how many homes?

Attached is the monitoring information the council has recently collated with regard to permitted development rights to convert office to residential. This is publically available as it accompanies the 20 March P&R Committee Report (recently published on the council’s website:http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/Publ...).

The attached note provides the following information:

The number of prior approval applications received between 1 June 2013 and 6 February 2014 was 61 (figure includes 12 resubmitted applications), of which 39 were decided (as of 6 February). Of the 39 decisions: one of the applications was withdrawn; 28 were approved/ given with a potential loss of B1a office floorspace -11,863 sq m and potential gain of 202 residential properties if these were all implemented.

Additionally the monitoring data indicates that of the 10 refused applications, the total number of homes proposed were 96. Please note refusals are based on traffic/ contamination or flooding issues.

Monitoring information is not yet available for the period 1st February 2014 - 13th March 2014

Please note the above monitoring information does not include details of full planning applications received by the council to convert office to residential i.e. those that do not fall under the permitted development rights.

For the period May 1 2012 to May 2013, how many applications did your council receive to convert empty office space into residential homes?

In total, for the above applications combined how many homes were proposed?

How many of the above applications had been granted and in total for how many homes?

The council’s Monitoring Officer does not hold monitoring information on the total number of applications received and considered by the local planning authority specifically for office to residential conversion or the number of refused applications for offices to be converted to residential or the number of total homes they represented for the period 1 April 2012 – 31 March 2013.

However general commercial monitoring information for the period 1 April 2012 - 31 March 2013 is published in the council’s Authority Monitoring Report:

There was a net loss of 10,159 m² of B1a office floorspace: a large proportion of which is attributable to two changes of use:

7,920m2 of B1a were transformed to C2 use as a Clinical Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Montefiore Road in Hove.
The other sizeable loss of B1 is at Cavendish House, Dorset Place Brighton where 1,102m2 was changed from B1 to D1 (education/training).

Average annual losses of B1a office floorspace over the period 2000-2012 indicate an average annual loss of B1a office floorspace of c.3,000 sq m.

Specifically in terms of loss of office space to residential 1 April 2012 - 31 March 2013 monitoring indicates that there were 3 applications approved and completed for 16 homes. However this may include permissions for redevelopment rather than for conversions and may exclude schemes where there was a loss of mixed commercial floorspace to residential.