Rules for conversions of farm buildings go live

Farmers can convert unused buildings into new homes and shops under planning laws which are now in effect.

As part of its Long Term Plan for Housing, announced last July, the government has extended permitted development rights (PDR) to encourage more housing through the easier conversion of agricultural buildings. Farmers will not need to apply for planning permission to convert to homes or shops and will be able to deliver up to ten homes – previously from five.

The changes also mean that the size of new buildings or extensions that can be built on farms of more than five hectares has increased from 1,000 sqm to 1,500 sqm. For smaller farms, this has risen from 1,000 sqm to 1,250 sqm.

Launching its Long Term Plan for Housing on July 24, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said that it would support rural communities “with changes to support farm diversification and development” through amended PDR, as part of its plan to deliver reform “to unleash building on underused sites in high-demand regions”.

On the PDR implementation, housing minister Lee Rowley said: “Farmers are the lifeblood of communities, and these changes give …