Council fights Government planning laws (From Enfield Independent)

Enfield Borough Council fights Government planning laws

9:16am Thursday 21st March 2013 in News By Hermione Wright

Enfield Borough Council is fighting Government plans to allow developers to convert offices into homes without planning permission.

The authority has applied for an exemption from the new planning laws, which would come into force this spring.

The council is concerned that loosening the restrictions would “open the floodgates” and lead to hundreds of industrial, storage and office units being converted into homes.

Cabinet member for business and regeneration Councillor Del Goddard said: "We already have sustainable long term plans to create thousands of high quality new homes in Enfield as part of significant regeneration projects such as the massive £1.3 billion Meridian Water scheme and the regeneration of Ponders End, as well as our estates renewal programmes.

"We don't think converting office blocks into private accommodation is necessarily the answer to our housing needs.”

He added the authority is keen to “maintain and protect” the borough’s industrial and commercial sectors during tough economic times by maintaining business infrastructure for when the economy starts to recover.