DEVELOPERS have been allowed to convert more than 1,000 offices in Surrey into flats over the past three years, without having to pay any funds towards GP surgeries, schools or parks, data has revealed.

The highest number was in Waverley in 2017/18 where 152 were converted and in Spelthorne in 2018/19 where there were 113. Runnymede was the third highest in 2018/19 with 112.

A loophole in the planning law means the new residential apartments – which were once office space – have been converted without developers needing full planning permission first.

Councils say this means they cannot monitor how many of the newly-developed housing units are affordable – or seek funds to help with extra school or GP places that may be needed – and are now taking steps to prevent further conversions.

Government data shows there have been 1,192 offices converted into residential units in Surrey since 2017. 

Total conversions to residentials under permitted powers including industrial, storage and agricultural buildings to homes in Surrey is 1,302 since 2017.

Office conversions are carried out under ‘permitted development’ rights – meaning homes can be created without developers going through the full local authority planning system.

Applications still go to local authorities but, unlike usual planning applications, they need only to be considered based on traffic implications, flooding, contaminated land and noise from neighbouring commercial units, so do not go for full committee approval. 

Some Surrey boroughs and districts are taking steps to control this.

By imposing an Article 4 order to a certain area, a council can block a developer from converting commercial space into residential units under the permitted powers. 

Instead, a planning application and formal planning permission through a committee would be required. 

Waverley Borough Council is one of several councils in the county to take steps to stop this happening. 

An Article 4 was imposed for Beacon Hill in April 2019 after concerns were raised a year earlier by Haslemere mayor Malcolm Carter on behalf of Beacon Hill residents about the “human kennels” built because of the loophole in planning law.

Mr Carter also lobbied town MP Jeremy Hunt, objecting: “I do not accept that substandard housing, bypassing all present regulations on space, privacy and rubbish disposal, has to be accepted.

“The sheer density of the developments over the past seven years has been astounding.”

When Waverley withdrew permitted development rights to the area, so a planning application was needed for a change of use, a spokesperson said it was “in response to concerns that conversions in the area were leading to a shortage of commercial space for businesses.”