Permitted Development Rights

The UK is losing 21 pubs every week. This figure has declined in recent years (in 2015 it was 27 pubs a week) but it’s still an ongoing concern for many communities. Across the country, many people have come together to form action groups and have listed over 2,000 pubs as Assets of Community Value. But these volunteers have highlighted frustrations in these applications which goes through a lengthy bureaucratic process and still leaves many loopholes which allows the pub to be demolished.

CAMRA is now looking to bring about legislation which would cause a halt to permitted development rights to pubs; a practice that currently allows pubs to be converted or demolished without going through a full and transparent planning process. When planning permission is not required, there is no opportunity for local people to have a say on changes connected with the property.

As Pint Taken went to press, the House of Lords were debating the Neighbourhood Planning Bill which called for the removal of permitted development rights from pubs. CAMRA members across the country wrote to Terence Higgins (KBE DL) to persuade him to support the campaign.