Business space to be protected
Action is being taken to protect key business and office space in the St Albans District from being turned into flats and houses.
St Albans City and District Council’s initiative will help to ensure firms that provide jobs and boost the local economy are not pushed out of the area.
A considerable number of business premises have been converted into homes in recent years while residential property prices have been increasing.
The Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, Councillor Mary Maynard, has now issued Article 4 Directions to cover nine designated areas.
They will come into force on March 22 next year, 12 months after the start of a consultation.
Owners of business premises in those areas will then have to apply to the Council for planning permission for conversions.
With the Council committed to retaining key business properties, such applications are likely to be refused.
Under recent national planning law reforms, owners of business premises were given permitted development rights.
This allowed them to change the use of such buildings to residential without District Council planning permission. However, the Article 4 Directions will prevent this.
Cllr Maynard’s decision follows an eight-week consultation earlier this year. Owners of affected business properties were among those asked for their views.
The Article 4 Directions will cover change of use from office, light industrial, storage and distribution to residential.
St Albans Chamber of Commerce, which represents the local business community, jointly led the proposal.
Cllr Maynard said: “I studied the results of the consultation very closely and took all views into consideration before deciding to confirm the Article 4 Directions.
“Research by Council officers had shown that many business premises had been lost to housing in recent years.
“There is no doubt in my mind, and that of the local business community, that this steep reduction in office space was making it more difficult for businesses to thrive here. It was getting harder to stay or start up in St Albans or relocate here.
“The Article 4 Directions will support businesses and help the local economy upon which we depend. It will particularly reinforce the role of the District as a centre for professional service companies and other business sectors.”
David Clarke, President of the St Albans District Chamber of Commerce, said: “We have given strong backing to the Council’s attempts to protect office and business space in key areas of the City.
“The business community will be delighted with this initiative which will allow them to plan for a future based in St Albans.
“There had been rising concern that some businesses may be forced out of St Albans if nothing was done to stop premises being converted into flats and houses.”
The designated areas that are being consulted on for the Article 4 Direction are: Brick Knoll Park, Alban Park-Acrewood Way-Lyon Way, North Orbital Trading Estate, Porters Wood-Soothouse Spring, City Station, City Centre, and Abbey Station, all in St Albans; and Coldharbour Lane and Southdown Industrial Estate, in Harpenden.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Mary Maynard, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Building Control, St Albans City and District Council. Tel: 01582 620801. Email: Cllr.M.Maynard@stalbans.gov.uk
Media contact:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council. Tel: 01727-296130
E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk