Existing Permitted Development Rights (PDR) for agricultural buildings have been extended from 21st May 2024. The change allows farm owners to convert farm buildings into new homes as well as shops, cafes, sports facilities and a variety of other commercial uses – without the requirement for planning permission.
The use of PDR remains subject to existing approvals by the local planning authority to allow planning matters to be considered in consultation with the local community. Therefore, to change agricultural buildings to homes and flexible commercial use, individuals must seek prior approval from the local planning authority for specific issues and risks, including transport and flooding. The prior approvals vary across PDRs. In the case of the extension or erection of agricultural buildings, individuals must still seek approval for the building’s design and external appearance.
The government announced the extended PDR rights in July 2023 as part of its Long Term Plan for Housing. The policy aims to encourage farmers to provide more housing by making it easier to convert agricultural buildings.
Nationally important archaeological sites (scheduled monuments) will be protected by removing the ability for extensions to be built and new buildings erected in the vicinity.
The number of homes that can be provided will be limited to ten, up from the five homes allowed under previous rules. Government figures show that 5,000 homes have already been delivered on farming land since April 2014.
Farms may now also increase the number and size of buildings on site without the need for a planning application. The size limit for new farm buildings or extensions to be erected under agricultural development PDR on farms of over five hectares increases from 1,000 sq metres to 1,500 sq metres. In the case of farms of fewer than five hectares, the size of the limit increases from 1,000 sq metres to 1,250 sq metres.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched the Long Term Plan to support rural communities in a way that would “support farm diversification and development”. The PDR amendments would be part of this plan to deliver reform that would “unleash building on underused sites in high-demand regions”.
Housing Minister, Lee Rowley, described farmers as “the lifeblood of communities” and said that the changes would “give them the freedom to grow their businesses, and plan for their futures, while delivering “more homes for rural communities” and “removing unnecessary barriers to development”.
The reforms have been welcomed by the National Farmers Union. Vice president, Rachel Hallow, said the changes would “greatly support the modernisation, expansion and diversification of farms across the country”. She added that they provided: “essential opportunities for farmers who wish to diversify their business, allowing them alternative streams of income and the ability to further support their local rural economy.”