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LATEST NEWS & EVENTS Relaxing planning laws could deliver 'desperately needed homes'  Proposed changes to the law that could affect companies using a commercial property solicitor have been welcomed by a top industry body. The British Property Federation (BPF) said the so-called office-to-homes legislation could deliver thousands of new residential properties. In its response the government consultation on the plans to make it easier to convert redundant commercial property into homes, the organisation stressed that "the status quo is not an option". Ian Fletcher, director of policy at the BPF, said: "It makes no sense to leave buildings empty for long periods on the basis that one distant day their original use may again be viable." He continued: "Property owners want occupied buildings, so we should be making that as easy as possible." While he conceded that there are some concerns about relaxing policy, local councils could be allowed to opt-out in exceptional circumstances. There is an average vacancy rate of between seven and nine per cent, according to government estimates that also show relaxing planning laws could bring an additional 7,000 homes to the market. Posted by Alex McLean 
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