Article 4 Directions

The government has established permitted development rights that allow some commercial buildings to be converted into residential accommodation without the need to submit a full planning application. Although an application for ‘prior approval’ is still required, the Local Planning Authority is only able to take a limited range of considerations into account through this process.

However, the regulations allow councils to serve an Article 4 Direction to remove such permitted development rights where this is considered appropriate and can be justified. In such areas it would still be possible to convert commercial buildings to residential, but it would be necessary to submit a full planning application.

Article 4 Directions in force

The council has made a number of Article 4 Directions that remove some permitted development rights from certain areas of the borough. This means that planning permission is now needed for some types of development that would normally be allowed under permitted development.

The following Article 4 Directions are in force:

• Conversion of commercial premises to residential uses
  Planning permission is required to convert commercial buildings to flats in Basing View. There are also restrictions on converting storage or distribution premises in Chineham Business Park and Hampshire International Business Park.
  
  
• Conversion of dwelling houses to Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO)
  Planning permission is required to convert a dwelling house to HMO in Basingstoke Town and Chineham and the surrounding villages of Old Basing, Oakley and Sherborne St John.
  
  
• Development in some Conservation Areas
• Basingstoke Town Centre
• Brookvale
• Fairfields
• South View