Extension of Permitted Development Rights for higher education institutions
2021 saw several changes to Permitted Development Rights for universities in England. These allow universities to carry out certain types of development without needing full planning permission. Instead they can use a faster process called prior approval.
The key changes are:
- Bigger expansions allowed: Universities can now increase their existing buildings size by 25% of the original space or 250 square metres, whichever is smaller. Before 2021, they were only allowed 25% or 100 square metres.
- Taller buildings permitted: New buildings can now be up to 6 metres tall, with an extra 1.5 metres for equipment like air conditioning units. If the building is close to the site’s boundary (within 10 metres), the height limit is still 5 metres plus the 1.5-metre allowance.
- Travel plans: If a university increases the number of students as part of its expansion, it can submit a plan for sustainable travel (e.g. walking, cycling, or public transport) up to six months after the project is finished. Previously, this plan had to be submitted before starting the project.
Restrictions to bear in mind
- The regulations apply to universities provided the primary use of the site is for the provision of education
- The Permitted Development Rights for expansion are cumulative, so previous extensions are taken into account
- Projects near sensitive areas (e.g. conservation areas, historic buildings) might need to use materials that match existing buildings
- Construction is limited near residential boundaries or on land that was used as a playing field in the past five years.
Why these changes matter
These changes represented a positive step for universities, where the need for additional teaching space has become more pressing and the streamlining of planning processes for the development of infrastructure necessary.
However, universities need to seek professional advice to ensure that their proposed developments comply with all the specific requirements and restrictions under the revised PD Rights framework. The above provides a brief oversight of the regulations, and there are several limitations and conditions to the use of the streamlined prior approval process for such work.