Brighton and Hove City Council is looking to preserve city centre office space by introducing tougher restrictions on the ability of developers to convert workplaces into housing.

Councillors are set to discuss proposals which would mean developers would have to get planning permission to convert office space in key areas of the city.

The move is in response to the Government’s announcement in May to allow offices to be converted to residential use without permission for three years.

Council officials argue that the move would hamper growth and job creation if applied in the city’s key economic areas.

A council report, which will be discussed by councillors at Thursday’s policy and resources committee, states that the authority has received 61 applications to convert office space into residential since June and if all had been granted almost 12,000 square metres of office space would have been lost – the equivalent of almost four times the annual average rate of office losses between 2000 and 2012.

In a public consultation on the proposal involving more than 350 businesses, some landowners and developers argued they felt the council’s move went against the Government’s objectives to free up development to meet the city’s shortfall of housing land supply.

Others argued there was a surplus of small low grade offices in the city which depressed the market for higher grade units.

Following the consultation, the areas of the city where planning permission would be required have been modified with Western Road between Regent Hill and Holland Road no longer included as well as around the Brighton Centre.

The council report concedes that even if the exemption area was created, Government ministers had the powers to make a direction cancelling or modifying article 4 directions at any time before or after its confirmation.

If accepted the exemption will come into force on July 25.

Councillor Jason Kitcat, chairman of the policy and resources committee, said: “We recognise this is a big challenge but allowing office space to be converted into housing without planning permission could result in a shortage of jobs, as well as taking away the opportunity for local people to have their views heard.

“The areas we want to protect are very well located for business as they offer affordable workspace for new companies.

“Many creative, digital and information technology businesses are in these areas and the sector is growing at twice the national average.”