Westminster council intends to introduce plans that will require developers converting office space into residential properties to replace the space with offices in the area.
The plan comes after changes last year to planning rules by the government, which was seeking to ease the housing shortage by encouraging the conversion of empty office space into homes. Westminster, however, has some of the most expensive homes in the world, and developers have been seeking to benefit from this by stepping up the conversion of office space, with business floorspace being lost as a result.
The plan must gain the approval of the Planning Inspectorate in order to be adopted. If successful, other councils could follow suit.
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