Thriving communities need local businesses. My image - CC Licence - feel free to re-use.

The best parts of London - the ones that seem vital, are populous and feel safe, are areas where business and residencies co-exist.

But these vibrant communities are under threat. 

Because of the suspension of part of the planning law, business use can now be changed to residential use with much reduced grounds for appeal.

This is likely to benefit landlords and developers, and to harm local communities where business and residential use co-exist. Local small businesses and employers will likely be priced out of their accommodation because landlords can make a lot of money* from residential property developers.

These consequences are starting to play themselves out where I live in north London. The economic fabric of this and other local communities is being undermined.

The suspension of this part of planning law may have been designed to increase housing, but it's a flawed adjustment if it means providing housing at the expense of healthy communities.

Today I used the petition at change.org to ask Eric Pickles the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to remove the suspension of this part of planning law.

More on the web:

*Find out more about why house prices are so high.