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Abstract

This dissertation will determine the known impacts of permitted development change of use office to residential (PD-OR). It will evaluate the quality of PD-OR and whether it is serving the demand for housing, how developers have responded to the change of legislation and how the market is responding to the specific change of use. This will be determined through literature review, semi structured interviews and a case study.
The literature has revealed that permitted development change of use has a gap between building regulations and material planning issues such as room size, provision of light, affordable homes and amenity. Due to this there are instances that allow developers to create very poorly made residential accommodation that would not have gained planning permission had it not gone down the traditional planning route. The literature further adds that the majority of PD-OR is quality, yet below the quality had it gone through the traditional planning routes. And there are some instances of very poorly made accommodation.
The interviews and case study suggest that developers have responded to PD-OR to increase profit margins, by taking advantage of the gap between building regulation and the lack of guidance from the LPA. This is done by producing mostly one- and two-bedroom flats that are below suggested minimum space requirement with little internal amenity. Despite this, this study has found that permitted development change of use office to residential is providing quality homes. The research highlights the importance of location, where quality of a building greatly dependent on external amenity, transport and location can drastically have an effect on the quality of a residential location.
Additionally, PD-OR creation of smaller one and two bed flats is serving the demand for housing. The interview and case study suggest PD-OR produces smaller affordable one- and two- bedroom properties, that many people are willing to purchase because it allows the public to gain access to the housing market. Moreover, it also is serving the increase in demand for one- and two-bedroom flats.

Course: Real Estate Manaqement - MSc - P272FTC

Date Deposited: 2020-12-17

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13635.html