Angela Rayner to Introduce New Protections for Pubs Against Conversion
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner plans to implement new planning rules that will safeguard pubs across England from being converted into homes or offices.
By The Guardian
Angela Rayner is preparing to introduce new planning regulations that will provide pubs in England with enhanced protection from being converted into residential or commercial properties. Under the proposed changes, developers will be required to demonstrate that there is no reasonable prospect of maintaining a pub as a viable business. This includes providing evidence that the pub has been marketed for sale for a minimum of one year.
The housing secretary is expected to unveil a new national planning policy framework this week, which is part of broader reforms aimed at easing planning restrictions and facilitating the construction of 1.5 million homes by the end of the current parliamentary term.
Previously, the government considered protecting only the last pub in a community from conversion, but this proposal has now been expanded to encompass all pubs at risk of being repurposed. Local councils will also need to evaluate whether the loss of a pub would deprive the community of a gathering place.
This initiative comes amid rising concerns regarding the closure rate of pubs in England. According to the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), 794 pubs have closed this year alone, with 82 either demolished or converted. Factors contributing to these closures include increased employer national insurance, rising minimum wage, food price inflation, and high business rates.
Rayner emphasised the cultural significance of pubs, stating, “Pubs are part of who we are as a nation. They’re where we celebrate, grieve, argue and belong, the beating heart of so many of our communities, and it’s an outrage that weak protections have allowed too many of them to slip away without a fight.”
The policy was initially part of Keir Starmer’s “pride in place” initiative, which aimed to protect only the last pub in a community. However, it has now been broadened to include all pubs facing development proposals. Camra has previously warned that limiting protections to the last pub could lead to the closure of thousands of viable pubs across the country.
The new regulations will require developers to provide substantial proof that a pub cannot continue as a going concern before any conversion can take place, ensuring that community interests are taken into account in planning decisions.