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Lake District National Park Authority
Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road
Kendal, LA9 7RL
Telephone:01539 724555
Fax:01539 740822
Minicom: 01539 792690
Email:
Website:
Direct email:stephen.ratcliffe
@lakedistrict.gov.uk
Direct dial:01539 792622
Our ref:
Date:6 June 2011
Ms Theresa Donohue
Consultation Team (Commercial to residential use)
Department for Communities and Local Government
Planning Development Management Division,
Zone 1/J3,
Eland House,
Bressenden Place
London SW1E 5DU
Dear Ms Donohue
Permitted Development Rights and Second Homes in the Lake District National Park
The current consultation on proposals to amend permitted development rights to allow changes of use from commercial to residential is reflective of Government’s recognition of there being an urgent need to increase housing supply at a national level.
The Lake District National Park Authority share these concerns over future housing supply, although housing pressures in National Park communities are exacerbated by additional locally distinctive factors. I hope that the Government’s clear heightened awareness of these issues signals an opportunity to reopen our discussions on the subject of considering further revisions to the planning system; our continued concern is that the use of dwellings as second homes and/or holiday lets is not currently recognised as being a change of use and this is having a significant adverse impact upon housing supply provided by the existing housing stock and, critically, community viability.
Many communities within the Lake District National Park have acute housing need due in part to limited supply. Whilst we have an adopted Core Strategy which priorities the delivery of housing to contribute tomeeting local needs and local affordable needs, the combination of environmental constraints and the limited capacity of the spectacular landscape to accommodate further development means that it is not possible to allow for the construction of sufficient numbers of new houses to meet the demonstrable levels of need.
Meanwhile, there are a range of communities where between 40 and 60% of the existing housing stock is used as second homes. Indeed in some of our communities this now exceeds 75%. This means that community viability - and the ability of services to be provided or retained in these locations - is becoming increasingly marginal. The demand from aspiring second home owners also means that prices are pushed further out of the reach of local people in housing need.
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It appears perverse that the only solution available to redress this balance is building more houses in a nationally designated landscape, whilst in many localities in the National Park more than half of the existing housing stock is unoccupied for significant times of the year.
We support Recommendation 21 of the Taylor Review, published in July 2008, which stated that ‘the Government should examine the options for trialling planning rules limiting change of use of full time homes to part time occupation (as second homes or holiday lets), in one or moreof the National Parks’.
The Lake District National Park Authority would welcome an opportunity to pilot with you the development and implementation of revisions to the Use Classes Order and/or other changes to the planning system to require planning permission for dwellings to be used as second homes. This could be used to understand the practicalities and implications of implementing this approach in a transparent and objective manner, and to examine the benefits and limitations of such an approach.
On this basis, we would be very happy to provide further evidential information on this subject if required, and we are keen to meet with you and your colleagues to explore this pilot proposal further with you.
Yours sincerely
STEPHEN RATCLIFFE
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIP
Cc Tim Farron MP/Executive Board/Chairman/Deputy Chairman
Steve Quartermain - Communities & Local Government
/ / Richard Leafe, Chief ExecutiveA member of the
Association of National Park Authorities
A member of the Federation of Nature and
National Parks of Europe