Under the terms of the General Permitted Development Order (GDPO) in 2015, an owner of commercial property may be able to convert that to residential property without specific planning permission.  This means it is entitled to do so under the terms of the GDPO.  It is, however, important to understand that development of commercial property into residential units under GDPO only allows or “permits” for a change of use rather than the conversion itself, which will need to be applied for separately.

It is therefore imperative that you seek proper advice from a planner before leaping into converting your commercial office block into residential flats. 

If you have any queries regarding commercial leases, please contact Nick Morrison on 01494 893568.