Loughborough

Use Classes Order

Posted on 15th November 2007
P.Klein

Nicky Morgan, prospective Conservative MP for Loughborough, has welcomed news that the Government is preparing to review planning regulations known as the Use Classes Order.  A change to the Order, if it meant that any change in the use of a property from a family home to be rented to up to six unrelated parties would need to be scrutinised as part of the planning process, could be of enormous benefit in helping to deal with the problems relating to the conversion of family homes to properties rented to students in Loughborough.
 
Nicky said, "I welcome this overdue review.  The continuing conversion of family homes into houses for students is a major issue for Loughborough's residents.  Some residents even feel they have no choice but to move house to an area where there are fewer or no students.  This is a problem in many university towns across Britain.  I have spoken to the Conservative's Shadow Housing Spokesman, Grant Shapps MP, who understands the issue well because he has a university in his Hertfordshire constituency and he is sympathetic to Loughborough's concerns about studentification of areas of the town."
 
Nicky adds, "I would also like to see Government demands for more new housing in Loughborough take into account the number of houses which are being rented to students.  Our local councils are under pressure to find more space for family homes and yet the more houses which are converted to student rented properties or land which is developed to provide student flats, the less space there is for family homes which are needed by local residents to deal with the shortage of affordable housing.  This was a huge issue in a recent survey I sent out to local residents and was mentioned by many people in their replies to me."

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