Streatham and Brixton town centres should be exempt from new laws to allow offices being turned into flats, the council has argued in a new legal challenge.
Lambeth Council has launched a judicial review against Government legislation allowing offices in employment generating areas being turned into flats.
The legal action calls for for Brixton town centre, Streatham town centre and the borough’s key industrial business areas to be exempt from the relaxed planning rules.
Councillor Pete Robbins, the council's cabinet member for housing and regeneration, said: “Landlords in Brixton and Streatham have been handed a free reign to turn offices into flats – it’s simply unacceptable.
“The new regulations could harm trade in these key areas and raise the prospect of job losses, lost business rates and reduced funding for infrastructure.”
The Judicial Review highlights Lambeth Council’s concern of a lack of transparency around deciding which areas to exempt from this legislation.
Coun Robbins added: “Based on the information provided, it is impossible to understand how the Government could have exempted residential areas in places such as Kensington and Chelsea, while ignoring the value to our local economy of Brixton and Streatham.”
Judicial Review papers were received by the Depeartment for Communities and Local Government this week and the council is now waiting to hear back from the department’s solicitors.
What do you think? Is the council right to protect offices in Streatham or is the Government right to encourage more flats being created in areas where people want to live?
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