Shadow Minister faces eviction as developers plan to turn his office into low grade flats

Shadow Housing Minister Mike Amesbury, Labour MP for Weaver Vale, is facing eviction from his local constituency office building amid plans to turn it into low-quality housing under controversial rules now being extended across the country by the Government.

Mr Amesbury is formally objecting to the proposals which would see the Halton 5 building, a 1970s office block in Runcorn, Cheshire, turned into 108 flats by Doncaster-based company Empire Property Concepts.

Many will be below minimum space standards and will not be carbon neutral. The developer has no plans to replace the building’s single glazed windows or make efforts to remove any asbestos from the building. There are also concerns about fire safety and crime at the building after police were called out over 50 times to a similar neighbouring development. 

The plans for the building are covered by permitted development rights, which allow developers to convert disused office blocks into flats without applying for full planning permission, with councils only able to object on a very limited number of grounds.

The use of permitted development rights to convert offices into flats prevents local councils from blocking unsuitable housing and deprives them of contributions from developers for affordable housing or infrastructure projects.

Now the Government is pressing ahead with reforms that will make it impossible for communities to block these proposals – despite an independent report recently commissioned by the Government warning that properties developed without planning permission – while developers will not be required to contribute vital infrastructure funding.

Mike Amesbury MP, Shadow Housing and Planning Minister and MP for Weaver Vale, said:

“It’s bad enough that the current rules allow developers to turn ancient, run-down office blocks into cheap flats but under the Government’s new Developer’s Charter, these appalling conversions will become the norm.

“Robert Jenrick claims the planning system doesn’t work but the truth is that most applications are approved. This is about the Tories giving a leg up to their developer friends, pure and simple - at the expense of local communities.

“I will fight these plans tooth and nail but if the Government passes these changes into law, there is nothing to stop The Tories’ rich developer mates from doing what they like here in Runcorn or anywhere else. I fear we are now facing a new era of slum housing in this country.

“People in Runcorn and across the country are begging for the Government to put their street before Downing Street: they need good quality housing, not matchbox flats in converted 70s office blocks.

• Text of Letter of Objection by Mike Amesbury to the Halton 5 development

“Re: Change of Use and Permitted Development applications for Halton5 Office Building, Northway, Runcorn

I am writing to you to lodge my objections to the above planning applications. In respect of the change of use, this is clearly an enabling application to deliver the larger scheme of 108 flats being proposed under permitted development (PD) for the site.

My concerns about plans to convert this ageing building into flats are as follows:

Local Plan

This scheme will deliver 108, 1 and 2 bed, flats including some that are below minimum space standards recommended by the government and outside of the requirements of planning. In my view this development is delivering the wrong type of accommodation for the area, with the existing PD scheme of Castleview House only steps away from Halton 5 and largely unlet, there is already saturation of one and two bedroom apartments in the immediate area, going beyond the needs of the local plan. This development does not answer the need for high quality, affordable housing for families, and I do not believe it will enhance the local area.

Environment, Fire Safety, Energy Efficiency

This is an old building that has had little investment in recent years. It was designed first and foremost to be office accommodation. The application makes no mention of a plan to investigate and safely remove any asbestos that may exist in the building. I am also concerned about fire safety, particularly emergency services accessing the site in the event of fire or other incident and the limited emergency exit routes for a building that could house 250 – 300 people if full.

I also note that the developer does not plan to replace the existing single-glazed aluminium sash windows that have been in situ since the building was constructed in the 1970’s. I consider this to be a safety issue and fall risk for residential accommodation, not to mention insufficient to comply with latest energy efficiency requirements. Indeed, there is no mention of any energy efficiency measures and it appears that the bare minimum will be done to convert the building into residential accommodation.

Local services, infrastructure, Parking

There will be no contribution to the local services or infrastructure due to it being under permitted development. This is likely to mean that it will be a net drain on the public purse as any additional school places, NHS and GP services will be unfunded.

Indeed, recent reports from the similar development at Castleview House suggest that there is likely to be an increase in Police, Fire and Rescue and Council resources required if the development goes ahead. The developer contributes nothing towards this and takes none of the responsibility, only the profit, which I fundamentally object to in an area with many challenges in terms of infrastructure and services.

The proposal for 60 parking spaces appears insufficient and there is nowhere in the vicinity for overnight overflow parking.

I’m well aware that the council is very limited in how much control it has over PD applications, however I feel it is important to share my concerns with you.”