The new right will be in place for three years and there will be an opportunity for local authorities to seek an exemption from the right if they can demonstrate that it would create "substantial adverse economic consequences".
The DCLG said in a statement that the new right will provide "badly needed" homes for local people and will make a "valuable contribution" to easing the national housing shortage. It will also boost jobs creation in the construction industry and increase footfall in high streets which will help town centre regeneration.
The DCLG said there would be further reforms to allow agricultural buildings to be converted for other business uses without the need for planning permission. These new rules would allow a range of buildings to convert for up to two years and would speed up the process of bringing vacant high street buildings back into use.
“These new changes ensure the very best use is made of our existing buildings to provide new homes and makes sure we get the most use we can out of our previously developed land," said Planning Minister Nick Boles.
“These changes are an important step in improving the planning system and making sure it is in the best possible shape to swiftly adapt to changes and opportunities that can provide a big boost to the economy, he said. “We are determined to make sure perfectly good underused properties are converted for homes and uses that will benefit our communities."
“We want to promote the use of brownfield land to assist regeneration, and get empty and under-used buildings back into productive use," said Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. “Using previously developed land and buildings will help us promote economic growth, provide more homes and still ensure that we safeguard environmentally protected land."
“We are absolutely determined to support people striving to bring life back to their communities and high streets,” he said.
The plans to introduce the new right were announced by Boles in the Financial Times earlier this week. The plans have been welcomed by the Institute of Directors (IoD), which called on the Government to extend the right to apply to other types of commercial property also.
“With a severe housing shortage pushing costs to unaffordable levels for many people it is sensible to make it easier for developers to convert some offices into homes," said IoD policy adviser Edwin Morgan.
"There is a large amount of vacant or unsuitable office space which could be put to better use as housing, giving the construction sector a much-needed boost. The Government should go even further and allow other types of commercial property, shops and warehouses, to be changed more easily to housing," he said.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said that decisions to introduce permitted development rights for office to home conversions should be made locally.
"To tackle the housing shortage and get the economy growing again it is important that councils can ensure there is a good balance between premises where people can work and homes in which they can live," said LGA environment and housing board chairman Mike Jones. "Imposing this as a one-size-fits-all policy will risk undermining councils' ability to achieve this balance through the planning system," he said.
