Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has given his clearest indication yet of how controversal permitted development rights will be reformed.

Speaking at an event on planning hosted by think tank Policy Exchange and Create Streets Jenrick implied that rules may be tightened up to give planning authorities much more control over the design of new buildings, via an existing process called “permission in principle”.

The expansion of permitted development under recent coalition and Conservative governments, which has allowed developers to convert business premises into homes without planning permission, has been successful in increasing housing numbers but sharply criticised for the quality of some schemes.

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