Spatial Planning Development & Environment Bernard Weatherill House 8 Mint Walk CR0 1EA

Please ask for/reply to Therese Finn Tel: 02084071385 [email protected]

10 September 2014

If you are a tenant of this property please ensure that the owner, your landlord or letting agent sees this letter or forward a copy of this letter to them.

Alterations to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended) through the serving of an Article 4 Direction on Croydon Opportunity Area.

Dear owner or occupier,

I am writing to inform you of proposed local changes to the planning regulations which will affect your permitted development rights. Permitted development rights derive from a general planning permission granted from Central Government and allow for a change of use from office use to residential without the need to apply for planning permission from the local planning authority. Local planning authorities have powers under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 as amended; to remove certain permitted development rights. An Article 4 Direction does not prevent the development to which it applies, but instead requires that planning permission is first obtained from the local planning authority for that development.

The need to serve an Article 4 Direction on the Croydon Opportunity Area came about as a result of recent changes to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 as amended. Class J development, introduced through said order, is development consisting of a change of use of a building and any land within its curtilage to a use falling within Class C3 (dwelling houses) (of the Schedule to the Use Classes Order) from a use falling within Class B1(a) (offices) (of that Schedule).

A review of prior notifications received seeking a change of use from office to residential use has raised concern with the loss of office floorspace in this prime location as well as the quality of residential accommodation coming forward.

Consequently the Council wishes to introduce a non-immediate Article 4 Direction to remove permitted development rights for the conversion of offices to residential use within areas covered by the Croydon Opportunity Area. The proposed removal of permitted development rights include:

• Development consisting of a change of use of a building and any land within its curtilage to a use falling within Class C3 (dwellinghouses) of the Schedule to the Use Classes Order from a use falling within Class B1(a) (offices) of that Schedule.

Article 5(1) requires that as soon as practicable after the Direction is made, notice is given by the planning authority by local advertisement, by site display for a period of not less than six weeks, and by serving notice on the owner and occupier of every part of the land within the area to which the direction relates. This is so that everyone who could be affected by this change to the permitted development rights is notified of the proposed changes.

The Article 4 Direction applies to the whole of the Croydon Opportunity Area. A copy of the Direction, including a map defining the area covered can be viewed at the Council Offices at Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon, CR0 1EA; or can be viewed on the Council’s website at www.croydon.gov.uk/article4 and at the . Information about the opening hours of the Croydon Central Library can be viewed on the Council’s website: http://www.croydon.gov.uk/leisure/libraries The changes to the above Order do not come into force immediately and there is an opportunity to make representations concerning the Article 4 Direction from 10 September 2014 to 22 October 2014.

Comments can be made by email to [email protected] or by post to: Spatial Planning Service, 6th floor Zone B, Development & Environment, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon, CR0 1EA. If deemed appropriate following this process, and in accordance with Article 5 paragraphs (9), (10), (13) and (18), the Article 4 Direction will come into force on 10 September 2015.

If you are not the owner or occupier of this premises, please make sure that any owner or occupier of this premises has seen this letter.

If you have any questions or would like to receive further information relating to this Article 4, please contact the Spatial Planning Service (email: [email protected] or telephone: 02084071385.

Yours faithfully,

Mike Kiely Director of Planning

Further Information

What is the notice of direction? Notice is given that the Borough of Croydon made a direction under Article 4(1) of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended) to withdraw the permitted development right granted by Schedule 2, Part 3, Class J of the Order for a change of use to a use falling within Class C3 (dwelling houses) of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, from a use falling within Class B1(a) (offices) of that Schedule.

What is changing? Since 30 May 2013, the conversion of offices to houses or flats has not required planning permission. The Government changed the law to allow this to occur. The Council is concerned about the impact this will have on the Croydon Opportunity Area, the loss of office space and the quality of residential development coming forward. An Article 4 Direction has been made which requires planning permission be sought for the change of use from office to residential.

Will there be additional costs? There is no charge for planning applications submitted as a result of the article 4 Direction.

What are the reasons for the Article 4 Direction? To prevent the loss of B1(a) uses in the Croydon Opportunity Area which would jeopardise the planning framework for the area (set out in the Local Plan, CLP1, the Opportunity Planning Framework (OAPF) and various masterplans), which seeks to strengthen the role of the office sector and the planned redevelopment of the Croydon Opportunity Area. The Croydon Opportunity Planning Framework (adopted January 2013) supports the development of 95,000sqm of new office space. The change of use permitted under the General Permitted Development (Amendment) (England) Order 2013, is not considered appropriate in the area as it is resulting in an unsustainable pattern and form of development, to the detriment of office space provision, employment and comprehensive planning in the Croydon Opportunity Area.

Planning policies relating to internal space standards, affordable housing, development density, assessment of the impact on school places, the loss of employment floorspace and other issues do not apply to these developments as they take place without the need for planning permission. Development undertaken under prior approval is likely to result in poor quality and inaccessible accommodation. Under prior approval, the impact of development on local amenity of nearby residents and businesses is not fully considered.

Where does the Article 4 Direction apply? The Article 4 Direction is only applicable within the Croydon Opportunity Area as defined in the attached map. Only offices B1(a) within the Croydon Opportunity Area would have the permitted development rights withdrawn.

When will the rules change? The Council is proposing for the regulations to come into force on 10 September 2015.

Where can I view the new regulations and further supporting information? Notice of the Direction, a copy of the map defining the area to which it relates and other supporting information can be seen online at: www.croydon.gov.uk/article4 and at the Croydon Central Library. Information about the opening hours of the Croydon Central Library can be viewed on the Council’s website: http://www.croydon.gov.uk/leisure/libraries

If I want to comment on this proposed change, what do I do? If you would like to comment on the proposed changes you have six weeks to do so starting from 10 September 2014 to 22 October 2014. Your comments may be submitted by post or email as stated in the attached letter.

I have sent in comments, what will happen next? The council will take into account all representations made, in accordance with Article 5(9), and if deemed appropriate introduce the new rules on 10 September 2015.