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Newcastle’s plans to discourage Loft Conversions for Rental Properties

from "UK Landlord" magazine, July 2007

Newcastle Council has identified a need to curb the conversion of loft spaces into student lets in residential areas under pressure such as Jesmond, Heaton, Shieldfield, Sandyford, East Gosforth and Spital Tongues.

From now on, there will be a presumption against granting planning permission to convert roof spaces into living accommodation for buy-to-let properties: this will not, however, ban all landlords' conversions, and will not apply to householders converting lofts for their own use.

Councillor Ron Armstrong, the chairman of Shared Housing Group, the cross-party group responsible for drawing up the policy, described the Council's decision as "an important step towards preventing a further loss of family homes" and one that "represent[s] progress towards guaranteeing the continuation of sustainable communities in inner-city wards." The Council does, however, intend to address the inevitable shortage of student accommodation that will result from the university's plans to expand by drawing up lists of potential sites for the development of 6,000 purpose-built student bed spaces away from residential areas.

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