Jenrick: ‘ Great opportunites’ for turning empty units into homes

ROBERT JENRICK believes Covid19 offers “great opportunities” for turning empty shops and offices into houses, as he confirmed a rethink of proposed planning system reforms.

City and town centres are undergoing the “most substantial change” since the 1940s as a result of the pandemic and there is a need to “pause for reflection” on the opportunities available, according to the Housing Secretary.

He told MPs he expects the Government to follow a “different approach” to distributing housing numbers across the country.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May is among the Tory opponents of the planned housing algorithm to decide where to build 300,000 new homes.

It is feared the algorithm, which allocates an annual house building target in each area of England based on demand, regional affordability and population growth, could lead to big increases of building in rural areas.

In the Commons, Mr Jenrick told MPs: “We are witnessing a profound reshaping of our towns and high streets as Covid- 19 continues to have a very significant impact on our communities.”

He also said: “As Covid- 19 presents great opportunities for repurposing of offices and retail, we need to seize that moment and ensure we get more housing into our town centres.

“That’s the way we’ll drive footfall and we’ll turn empty shops into thriving homes. We’ve already put in place new planning reforms to enable people to do just that, as well as to demolish vacant buildings and to turn them into housing.”