Bid to limit conversions of offices into flats in Norwich

A public consultation has been launched over a council bid for powers to control the number of offices in the city being turned into homes.

Norwich City Council is applying for an Article 4 Direction to protect the city's office economy and the wider economy it serves.

Since changes to the planning system in 2013 introduced permitted development rights to convert offices to flats, around 30pc of office stock in Norwich has been lost, which according to the council has significantly impacted the supply of available office space in the city centre.

A review of office accommodation in Norwich, commissioned by the council, found the market was in a "fragile and vulnerable" condition partly due to the significant loss of offices in the last eight years.

The review concluded an Article 4 Direction was needed, which, if granted, would take away the permitted development right to convert offices into flats, mostly within the city’s inner ring road, and any application for change of use would require full planning permission.

St Stephens Towers in Norwich, which were converted from Aviva offices into student flats. Picture: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Mike Stonard, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for sustainable and inclusive growth said: “We want an Article 4 Direction to protect Norwich’s office economy, which is important to the city’s economy as a whole.

“We asked for the report to also look at the effect of Covid-19 on office use in the city and the conclusion was that demand for offices in Norwich is not going to reduce significantly.

“People will want to return to the office, if only for part of the week, for a number of reasons and we as a council need to make sure the office space is there for them.”

An Article 4 Direction would not prevent all offices being changed into flats, but would give the city council more control over any proposed changes.

To give an opinion on the Article 4 Direction residents can visit the consultation page on the city council website.

The public consultation opens on Thursday, July 29 and will run for six weeks.