Developers looking to turn office blocks into flats could soon be stopped thanks to an extra power brought in by Barnet Council.

An Article 4 Direction – a tool that can be used to stop developers carrying out office-to-flat conversions without getting planning permission – will come into force at key sites across the borough in September.

It comes amid growing concern that developers are cashing in on the housing shortage by creating flats that are too small for people to live in, while communities are losing valuable employment sites.

Developers have been able to carry out the conversions thanks to changes to planning law known as permitted development rights, which were brought in by the Government in 2013 to help fix the UK’s housing crisis.

These rights meant developers did not need to get planning permission for the conversions and could avoid following minimum space standards.

A plan to turn a former garage in Chipping Barnet into more than 100 flats recently sparked a raft of complaints from people living nearby.

Several people commenting on Barnet Council’s planning portal compared the proposed flats to prison cells.

The Article 4 Direction means the council will be able to enforce minimum space standards and design quality policies, as well as asking developers to contribute to affordable housing.

It covers 30 areas across the borough – mainly trading estates and town centres, including Chipping Barnet town centre and Edgware town centre.

A majority of people who responded to a consultation carried out by the council were in favour of the Article 4 Direction.

The new power, which was unanimously approved by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday (July 24), will come into force on September 20 and covers the following areas:

  • Brent Street town centre
  • Chipping Barnet town centre
  • Falkland Road / Alston Road (Alston Works)
  • Hadley Manor Trading Estate
  • Edgware town centre
  • Finchley Church End town centre
  • East Finchley town centre
  • North Finchley town centre
  • Finchley Industrial Centre
  • New Barnet town centre
  • Redrose Trading Centre / Lancaster Road Industrial Estate (part)
  • Whetstone town centre
  • Golders Green town centre
  • North London Business Park
  • Bittacy Hill Business Centre
  • Granard Business Centre and Churchill House, Bunns Lane
  • Bunns Lane Works
  • Mill Hill Industrial Estate
  • Queen’s Road Industrial Estate
  • Colindale Technology Park Colindeep Lane and sites off Cecil Road
  • Brunswick Industrial Park
  • Coppetts Centre, Colney Hatch Lane
  • Connaught Business Centre and site on Hyde Estate Road
  • Garrick Industrial Centre and Wilberforce House Propeller Way
  • 30-100 Colindeep Lane
  • Hurricane Industrial Park
  • Utility Warehouse, 508 Edgware Road
  • Squires Lane
  • Raydean House
  • Western Parade

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