London Property Alliance (CPA & WPA) has written to Government calling for support to ensure property owners have the financial flexibility to help their tenants during the COVID-19 crisis. Planning changes should be introduced to ensure the wider industry can continue investing and building as soon as possible. Our key asks are summarised below.
Our letter to The Treasury calls for Government guidance to lenders and funders; an expansion of business rates relief; and a rates holiday for unoccupied buildings. Media coverage of the letter includes The Times (£), Property Week (£) and CoStar (£).
The Alliance’s letter to MHCLG, which seeks national planning changes to get London building homes and workspaces as soon as the crisis abates, was covered in today’s Telegraph (£) and EG (£). In it, we ask for an automatic extension of existing planning permissions; provisions to allow for discussions to be reopened with local authorities; and bringing forward of alterations to retail use-classes to support the future of Britain’s high streets.
Please contact rosie.day@cwpa.org.uk if you have any feedback or suggestions for our engagement with policymakers during the COVID-19 crisis.
