Professionals in planning jobs ”facing heavier workloads”
People in planning jobs could be overwhelmed by work when new regulations relating to the private rented sector come into force, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA).
Housing minister John Healy recently announced that landlords will have to apply for planning permission before converting a family home into a property for use as shared accommodation.
The measure is part of new regulations, scheduled to be introduced in April 2010, which are designed to give local authorities the tools needed to effectively manage the growth in the number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
NLA chairman David Salusbury said the regulations ignored the role shared accommodation plays in coping with the shortage of affordable housing in many areas.
With demand for such properties set to remain high, he warned that making it necessary for landlords to obtain planning permission for conversions is likely to have a major impact on those in planning jobs.
"We can expect local authority planning departments to be swamped under increasing workloads owing to these new measures," said Mr Salusbury.
Councils which try to restrict the number of HMOs in the area are also likely to see demand for social housing rise, he added.
