Change of use and conversion from A1 shop and five-bedroom dwelling to two houses

Borough

Address

Development Type

Change of use and conversion from A1 and C3 (two houses)

Proposed Development

Change of use and conversion from ground floor A1 shop and five-bedroom dwelling to 1no. three-bedroom house and 1no. two-bedroom house.

4D Planning's Role

4D Planning were instructed by the client to assess the feasibility of the development to convert the existing A1 shop (which was on the ground floor of a residential home) into a self-contained residential unit. Following our research, we advised that the applicant could apply successfully for Prior Approval. The assessment criteria was focused on the loss of A1 use, impact on the vitality of the retail shopping parade. Parking, noise, contamination and flooding. We prepared an application and submitted the documents and drawings to Havering Council. The application was quickly approved. 

The client advised that they wanted to have two large townhouses and not a flat within an existing house. We then prepared a planning application and all architectural drawings to convert the shop and existing house into two houses. The Prior Approval application was not implemented so there was a risk that the council would not grant planning permission for the loss of the A1 unit despite its planning history. We liaised with Havering Council and revised the drawings to relocate an existing telephone booth and other street furniture to make way for off-street parking. The application was granted planning permission.