New Permitted Development Rights for 'Upward' Extensions

With the Government still promising to build 300,000 homes a year, and land for development increasingly precious, policymakers are having to consider new ways to meet the growing demand for housing within the UK.

At the start of the month, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that the Ministry plans on introducing a swathe of permitted development for upward extensions. The new regulations would allow applicants to extend their buildings up 2 storeys to provide additional dwellings without having to apply for planning permission.

Back in 2016, the previous Government floated this idea in London only, but after consultation the proposed policy was dismissed due to a majority of responses stating that the policy may work on paper but would be unrealistic in practice. However, in November 2017, Knight Frank analysed data within zones 1 and 2 in London and concluded that there was indeed enough space to provide an additional 23,000 homes by extending upwards.

Could upwards permitted development be the answer to London and the UK’s housing shortage?