The government’s plans to allow most town centre buildings to be converted to housing without planning permission have come under fire from two major developer groups.

Echoing concerns already raised by architects, the British Property Federation and business lobby group London First have said in separate responses to a government consultation on the plans, which closed late last week, that they risk causing significant harm to high streets and town centres.

The government’s plan, launched just before Christmas, proposed allowing any premise in the new Class E use class – which includes everything from offices, shops, restaurants, professional services premises, light industrial units and GP surgeries to nurseries – a permitted development (PD) right to convert to housing.

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