The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2016 (“the Amendment Order”) amends the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (“the General Permitted Development Order”) to:

allow the changes of use of certain buildings to residential use;

introduce new permitted development rights allowing the drilling of boreholes for the purposes of carrying out groundwater monitoring, carrying out seismic monitoring, or locating and appraising the condition of mines, which is preparatory to potential petroleum exploration; and

make several amendments to clarify wording within the General Permitted Development Order.

2.2 The Town and Country Planning (Compensation) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 amend the Town and Country Planning (Compensation) (England) Regulations 2015 (“the Compensation Regulations”), to limit or exclude, in specified circumstances, the liability of local planning authorities to pay compensation on withdrawal of the permitted development right for the change of use of light industrial premises to dwellinghouses which is introduced by the Amendment Order.