Vacant Housing Refurbishment Bill 2017

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

A fast-track “one-stop-shop” approval system would be created for certain housing projects, especially turning empty or older commercial and industrial buildings into homes, refurbishing upper floors, and regularising some existing unauthorised residential conversions. Local authorities would check plans, inspect work, and use approved independent inspectors, with the aim of speeding up approvals while still enforcing safety standards. It would also add new exempted development categories and speed up planning declarations, including extra rules for protected structures. The point is to reduce delays and make it easier to bring vacant buildings back into use for housing.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to establish a special planning and building control approval process in each planning authority, which will enable the expedited development of certain classes of residential developments including those requiring change of use from commercial or industrial to residential and residential refurbishment in upper floors and in older structures, and to provide for related matters

Last updated 14 November 2024