Mayor concerned by the loss of office space

London’s new Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has unveiled proposals to help protect office space for small businesses and start-ups in the capital.

Mr Khan, who took control of City Hall last month, gave the commitment following concerns about the sheer volume of office space which had already been converted into residential units.

It is estimated that 1.47million sq metres have been lost since 2013, when changes to permitted development rights were first introduced.

Mr Khan is keen to stem the tide and has set out a number of measures which he believes will benefit business.

These include making amendments to the London Plan which afford greater protection for start-up workspace and delivering new space for small firms in residential and mixed-use developments.

Speaking earlier this month, Mr Khan said: “Of course we need new homes, but this does not need to be at the expense of the space we need for the businesses that provide our jobs and drive our prosperity.

“Space which is genuinely surplus to commercial needs should be identified authoritatively and its release carefully managed so that it does not undermine local business.”

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