More than 70 local government leaders have joined housing campaigners in demanding an end to unrestricted office-to-residential conversion throughout England. They are profoundly concerned about housing quality and its effects on their communities. Louise Gittins, chair of the Local Government Association (LGA), emphasized the importance of an amendment proposed by vice-president Dorothy Thornhill that could significantly improve the housing crisis faced by many families.
As a result, the amendment would permanently house one in four families living in emergency shelters today. This is a big deal, moving us closer to addressing the critical demand for homes people can afford and communities need. Gittins called this amendment “a gamechanger,” one that could revolutionize how communities across the country address their housing shortfalls.
Thornhill moved in the right direction by introducing the amendment. He found that the effects of certain PDR have exceeded the original scope and intention. She stated, “The impact of certain PDR rules has gone much further than was ever anticipated when they were first brought in. It is time they were scrapped. Councils and communities are losing out significantly because developers are able to circumvent the democratic planning process.”
This criticism is aimed at properties that were converted during the past under PDR. One of the leading lights is the Imperial Apartments – conversion of a former non-conformist chapel in Bristol. The three-storey office block was transformed into 466 flats but has since been criticized for numerous problems affecting residents’ quality of life. UK housing charity Shelter painted a grim picture of the apartment’s condition as rife with dampness, mould, disrepair, overcrowding, antisocial behavior, and rat infestations.
The extent of the outrage resulting from the situation at Imperial Apartments is unusual. More than 500 stakeholders, including local GPs, health experts and charities, have signed an open letter calling on Bristol City Council to act decisively and move residents from these unsafe living conditions. The letter detailed serious worries about the quality of housing produced through these conversions. It stated that many of these homes “would not meet the most basic fire safety and habitability standards had they been subject to the planning process.”
The letter further noted that communities face dual losses: “on the quality and suitability of the homes, and on the schools, transport, green spaces, and health services that make neighborhoods thrive.” The impact of these conversions isn’t just measured in the number of individual housing units—it ripples throughout entire communities.
Statistics show a gloomy picture nationwide, with close to 28,000 affordable homes lost thanks to office-to-residential conversions. Together, these numbers point to a clear and urgent need to reexamine PDR regulations. Let’s make sure the next round of development focuses on quality, advancing community priorities, and fostering health.