Disused shops could be used to tackle housing crisis, says May

Former shops could be turned into homes as online shopping reshapes high streets, Theresa May has said, as she called for a “great national effort” by the government, developers and councils to tackle the housing crisis.

Answering questions after a speech in London on Monday, the prime minister said fresh approaches were needed, including using disused buildings of various types to create new homes.

Asked whether this should include retail spaces, May said it was important to prevent high streets from being hollowed out.

“Retailing is changing, with buying more goods online, and one of the elements of the new planning rules we’re setting out is to make it easier for shops to be turned into housing if that’s appropriate, but also for development above retail units to take place,” she said.

“Often there’s a very good argument for having homes being built in the centre of town, accessible to shops, accessible to transport infrastructure as well. And greater extension upwards can be, I think, one of the solutions for ensuring we’re building enough homes.”

In a 25-minute speech to the Royal Town Planning Institute conference, May described what she called a broken housing market and a resultant loss of social mobility and community, with younger people justifiably angry at being excluded, increased exploitation of renters and a problem of rough sleeping.

Overcoming this required a united effort, she continued. “It’s so important, not just for individuals, and for that British dream, but for communities, and people’s stake in the communities, that they’re able to feel that they do have a home of their own.

“What I’m encouraging people to do is to see this as a great national effort – all of us coming together, playing our role to ensure that we do deliver those homes.”

Source: theguardian