With the UK currently facing a severe housing crisis, it is important that we explore all options to increase housing supply. Given the changing nature of our town centres and the willingness of recent governments to amend planning policy, it is a logical extension to explore the role of space above shops for residential development.
This report highlights the practical challenges and key considerations of residential development in six ‘case study’ town centres. It looks at better use of existing buildings in and around town centres to deliver more new homes, with a particular focus on empty space above shops.
The report makes a number of recommendations to local and national government as to how we can enable more of this type of development to take place.
