Could Tory Plans Damage Property Development

Since Labour scrapped the ‘needs test’ after coming into power in the last 1990’s, supermarkets and retail parks have literally sprung up all over the UK bringing unnecessary competition to local retail owners who simply cannot compete.

However, with the general election just over the horizon, the Tories have now revealed plans to change all that by altering planning permission laws…


In their declaration to ‘return power to the people’, under the Tories new property scheme local authorities would be given more power to veto shopping complexes and influence where they are built.

Now whilst this move will be of tremendous help to local high streets, the Tories plans to also alter retrospective planning permission has been hit by many criticisms from leading property advisors such as Sarah Beeny.

In their attempt to target illegal travel sites by becoming more restrictive in what they can do, this move would also influence homeowners wishing to modify their property managements.

Here, the entire planning system would be replaced with a ‘local plan’ that is agreed upon by neighbours. And the strength of their influence on your property would be astounding… Under this scheme your neighbours would be able to determine the exact design of your extension and how it is laid out…

Describing this decision as a means to improve a broken planning system and help rebuild communities whilst speeding up the planning permission process, property advisors strongly believe this move will criminalise a lot of ordinary people.

Furthermore, instead of offering property developers a clear and certain future, giving such powers to homeowners (before the Local plan is passed on to their council) will in fact block investment recovery.

Original Article

More About the Author

Fraser Stirling, Property Mentor Delegate

No matter what the media wants you to believe, property is still the only investment route where you can benefit from an asset that will NEVER go into zero value. Even when I was university I admired properties ability to withstand the economic elements and stay strong, even when other investment forms faltered or failed. X years on, I am now the proud owner of multiple property investments - one of which earns a passive income of £4,680 and my property portfolio is still expanding. Read more