To support the high street, hospitality and tourism sectors, the Welsh Government are temporarily relaxing planning control to make it easier to erect and leave up marquees and other temporary structures, have street furniture outside businesses and change the use of a retail unit.
The ‘new temporary permitted development rights to support economic recovery’ published this month covers:
- Temporary use of land is allowed for an additional 28 days
- Use of land for the holding of markets by local authorities
- Temporary changes of use to enable businesses to trial alternative uses within town centres for a short period of time
- The use of the highway adjacent to premises falling within Class A3 (food and drink) for the purposes of selling or serving food or drink
- Awnings over external areas where customers and members of the public congregate to be served food or drink
We have worked closely with the hospitality sector over recent years to champion the flexible use of outside spaces including our proposals in Cardiff’s Mill Lane and Swansea’s Wind Street. Planning and licensing rule can be a problem for business wishing to trade flexibly outdoors and this is an important temporary step in support the reopening of businesses and their efforts to create safe environments for the public using the high street, and spending with the hospitality and tourism sectors. However, the Welsh Government say they will be monitoring the impact of these amendments with a view to making broader, permanent amendments to the GPDO next year.
The link to the Welsh Governments Statement
