Barn conversions ‘to be fasttracked under new planning law’

Posted 15/07/2012

Changes to planning law are going to result in applications for barn conversions being fast-tracked, it has been revealed by the government.According to the planning minister Greg Clark, this should help to fuel growth in rural parts of the country, where regulations can often get in the way of new developments.”Currently, planning is a significant risk and cost to landowners and many schemes proposed don’t even get off the ground,” he said, suggesting this is even the case if jobs are going to be created through the scheme.But Mr Clark highlighted the fact the upgrades to planning law are currently in the consultation stage, so those proposing such developments may wish to delay them until the regulations have been amended in September.It was recently noted by Kevan Carrick, policy spokesman for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the north-east of England, that changes to planning law need to be implemented in a positive manner if they are to have an impact.Posted by Charles Webb