With the covid-19 crisis serving to highlight the stark inequalities in housing across the country, Johnson and Jenrick had planning reform and other measures to help Britain “build, build, build” in their sights.

But while this month’s announcements amount to a seismic overhaul of the foundations that have underpinned the British planning system for over half a century, the prior extension of permitted development (PD) rights must not be allowed to slip under the radar.

Taking the well-travelled path

The principle of re-imaging redundant office and retail spaces in our town centres and struggling high streets is admirable. Post-pandemic, residential units are going to be key to breathing new life back into our deserted city centres. Yet an uncontrolled experiment of this nature is not the right way to go about it.

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