Tag Archives: Commercial Property

Planning reform 2020: simplifying use classes

Posted on 06/08/2020 by freestyle

Whilst news outlets widely reported on Government plans to help ‘extend homes upwards and revitalise town centres’, by broadening the permitted developments rights to demolish and rebuild unused buildings, and add a new floor (or even two) to people’s homes, it is perhaps the lesser reported planning changes which are more radical.  The new regulations (or the “Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020”, if you prefer the catchier title), come into force on 1 September 2020. They create new use planning use classes, namely Class E (“commercial, business and services” uses); Class F1 (“learning and non-residential institutions” uses); and Class F2 (“local community” uses); and reclassify a number of uses. In short, the regulations seek to ‘simplify’ the system of use classes in England by creating a new broad Class E. The ‘Commercial, Business and Service’ use class will … Continue reading →

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Coronavirus (COVID-19): commercial property landlords and tenants

Posted on 14/04/2020 by freestyle

Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 prevents landlords from forfeiting ‘relevant business tenancies’ until at least 30 June. However, tenants should think twice before withholding rent and other lease payments; landlords do not just have to adopt a submissive approach. At the end of March 2020, the government announced measures to protect commercial tenants that cannot pay their rent because of COVID-19, from eviction in the short term. Shortly after the announcement, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (the “Act”) received royal assent and became law. Section 82 of the Act also includes extensive provisions dealing with situations where forfeiture proceedings have already commenced in the High Court or county court, but this article is only concerned with situations where no such proceedings already exist. The announcement stated the measures would benefit commercial tenants who cannot afford to pay their rent. However, there … Continue reading →

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