BSP Staff win RTPI Award for Research Excellence

Congratulations to Ben Clifford, Jessica Ferm, Nicola Livingstone and Patricia Canelas who were awarded the RTPI Academic Award for Research Excellence on 3rd September.

It has been possible since May 2013 to convert a building from being an office into residential use without needing planning permission. This was primarily intended to boost the supply of housing but also to help regeneration through reuse of vacant office space and raised a number of key issues. 

The report assesses the impacts of extending permitted development rights for office to residential conversions in England. Utilising an in-depth case study approach, this research sought to determine whether enhanced freedom to change the use of property has threatened the development of sustainable communities through the loss of public revenue and unwelcome externalities. Read the full report here.

Ben Clifford was interviewed by Winifred Robinson on BBC Radio 4’s ‘You and Yours’ about the research on Thursday 16th August.  Listen to the interview here from approx. 35 mins.