How change of use legislation is breathing new life into previously used buildings

A legislative shift with financial promise

Successive revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework have called for greater use of brownfield land and higher densities in urban areas. For property investors, the appeal of Class MA conversions is that they can often be delivered more quickly than new build schemes, and at lower cost. That time advantage alone is critical in a market where financing costs remain elevated and exit strategies depend on speed of delivery.

The architectural challenge

But for every legislative green light there are practical amber ones. Buildings originally designed for retail, office or industrial use rarely lend themselves seamlessly to residential life. The most persistent challenges are architectural: ensuring access to natural light and ventilation, upgrading thermal and acoustic performance, providing private and communal amenity space, and creating a sense of security and privacy in environments that were never meant to be homes.

For design professionals, the detail is everything. Deep floorplates can create gloomy, single-aspect apartments unless mitigated by courtyards or shallow layouts. Older buildings often leak air and resist high thermal performance, while thin walls and outdated windows can compromise acoustic insulation. And few local authorities will welcome schemes that produce cramped or awkwardly shaped units that fail to meet national space standards.

Even when the fundamentals can be solved, the solutions often fall outside permitted development. New windows, rooflights, balconies or boundary treatments may all require separate planning applications. The irony is that a process billed as simpler can, in practice, be just as procedurally complex as a conventional application.

Selecting the right buildings

The key, then, is not to view Class MA as a universal remedy but as a filter for opportunity. Experienced architects know that the most successful projects begin with the right building. Properties that were once residential often convert most smoothly: they tend to have smaller, more frequent windows, shallower plans, and layouts that naturally support privacy and security. Buildings with dual aspect or courtyard access are far more likely to achieve acceptable levels of daylight.

For projects in which the existing shell is more problematic, a hybrid approach can work. Secondary applications can authorise additional alterations that make units more marketable – be it extra glazing for ventilation, landscaping to provide defensible space, or communal gardens that lift the scheme’s appeal. Where contamination or structural integrity present insurmountable challenges, however, investors may be better served by demolition and rebuild.

Risk, reward and the role of professionals

From a design perspective, the profession has a responsibility to push conversions beyond the bare minimum. Poorly lit, acoustically compromised units will not stand the test of time. But when handled intelligently, conversions can enhance both the built environment and residents’ quality of life, embodying sustainable practice in the truest sense.

Towards a more collaborative model

What unites both the priorities for architects and investors is the value of early collaboration. Engaging architects and planning consultants from the outset allows investors to test viability against design constraints before committing capital. That collaboration also helps ensure that schemes meet both the spirit and the letter of Class MA: not simply delivering more homes, but delivering good homes in sustainable and desirable locations.

Conclusion: opportunity in adaptation

The expansion of Class MA rights is best understood not as a silver bullet, but as an enabler. It has widened the field of potential projects, but whether those opportunities deliver will depend on intelligent building selection, thoughtful design, and careful financial appraisal

Handled well, conversions can breathe new life into the historic fabric of our cities, provide much-needed housing, and demonstrate that adaptation is often smarter – economically and environmentally – than starting from scratch. Handled poorly, they risk producing units that are unsatisfactory for residents and underwhelming for investors

The challenge, and the opportunity, is to see beyond the legislative headline and make conversions a genuine instrument of urban regeneration.

Nigel Booen, Director of Design, Boyer (an LRG company)