A DEFACTO ban has been put in place on allowing streamlined development of office spaces into residential use in parts of Basingstoke.

A new piece of planning policy approved by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s cabinet on Tuesday last week means any developers seeking to convert offices into homes in Basing View, Chineham Business Park and Hampshire International Business Park will have to seek full planning permission.

Previously developers had the right to convert offices and some other industrial buildings into homes without full planning consent.

However, at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, councillors agreed to introduce an ‘Article 4 Direction’ to suspend these permitted development rights.

The issue had been brought before the cabinet after an audit of office to residential permitted developments in the borough was undertaken to get a more detailed understanding of what schemes had been permitted and where, and what their impact had been.

Cabinet member for planning and infrastructure at the borough council, Councillor Mark Ruffell , pictured, said: “In February this year, the economic planning and housing committee considered a paper about the impact of commercial to residential conversions that had taken place in the borough under permitted development rights.

“Whilst it was recognised that there were some benefits that had resulted from the conversions, the most notable of which was the increased supply of new homes, members expressed a number of significant concerns about the impact of the rights on the borough.”

By introducing the Article 4 Direction it does not mean a flat out ban of development of office buildings, instead such schemes would require planning permission to be sought and approved by the borough council.

With cabinet agreeing to take the Article 4 Direction, all perspective planning applications will be assessed against the policies in planning law, taking into account other notable considerations.

Cllr Ruffell added: “The concerns raised by the committee was that sites could be converted into residential properties and there could overtime become an issue and have an impact on the area as well as residents.”

He added: “We will now be in a position to give notice on the area where conversion is being looked at and we would then consult on whether development would proceed.”