§ APPLICATION OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (USE CLASSES) ORDER 1963
§ 'The provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes)Order 1963 shall apply to any residential accommodation available for letting where the actual or expected duration of the tenancy is less than twenty-two days, as they apply to a boarding or guest house, a residential club, or a hotel providing sleepingaccommodation'.—[Sir B. Rhys Williams.]
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Miss Harvie Anderson)With the new Clause it will be convenient to discuss Amendment No. 14, in Title, line 1, after second 'to', insert 'change of use and'.
§ 5.45 a.m.
§ Sir B. Rhys WilliamsThe original intention of the Clause as it appeared in my Bill was to give power to restrict the changing of a property from long unfurnished letting to quick turn-round furnished flat lets for short-stay visitors. 342 My original device was to catch the change of user at the point of a dramatic change in the level of service charges.
In order to bring my proposal within the scope of the Bill and within the rules of order, it was necessary somewhat to change the nature of the provision, and I think that the Clause does not now contribute much to the provisions already established in the Kensington and Chelsea Corporation Bill. I look forward confidently to seeing that Bill complete its passage within a week or two. It is not necessary for me to press the point further except to say that I hope it has been a useful contribution to draw attention to the fact that very sharp increases in service charges may be taken to indicate that something is going on in a block of flats which requires the attention of the planning authority. I hope that my right hon. Friend will bear that point in mind when framing legislation in future. In the circumstances which I have explained, I do not wish to move, that the Clause be read a Second time.