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New England planning rules make pub-to-housing conversions harder
Developers seeking a change of use will need to show there is no reasonable prospect of keeping a pub business running, including proof the venue was marketed for at least 12 months.
New planning rules for England will make it harder to convert pubs into housing or other uses, as an update to the National Planning Policy Framework takes effect on Monday. The revised policy is expected to offer stronger protections for pubs facing closure, including requirements intended to limit conversions based on manufactured business decline.
According to the BBC Business, to proceed with a change of use under the new rules, developers will need to provide evidence that there is no reasonable prospect of keeping the pub business running. That evidence must include proof the pub was marketed for sale for at least 12 months.
The BBC also reports that the updated framework will require councils to assess the impact of any change of use on the local community. The rules are described as preventing owners from deliberately killing off trade to justify closure.
The National Planning Policy Framework update also includes other measures aimed at boosting homebuilding, including default approval for homes built around railway stations in England. The BBC notes that pub and hospitality groups have argued that taxes and employment costs are major drivers of pub closures, while political critics said the government is missing housing targets.