Prior Approval Granted for Four Flats in Southend
I'm excited to share some great news from a project I've been working on at MJD Planning Ltd. Southend-on-Sea City Council has granted prior approval for the change of use of a former office building at 30 Clarence Street into four self-contained flats. This is a fantastic example of a successful office-to-residential conversion and the client has already started the conversion works for the two-storey building former office building to four self-contained flats (Class C3).
The proposal was granted under Class MA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015. This order allows for certain changes of use to happen without a full planning application, as long as they meet specific criteria. We demonstrated that the building's use history qualified it for this process, as it had been used as an office for a continuous period of at least two years prior to the application.
The plans outline a conversion that will create four flats:
Unit A: A one-bedroom flat for one person
Unit B: A one-bedroom flat for two people
Unit C: A one-bedroom flat for one person
Unit D: A one-bedroom flat for two people
All of these new units meet the nationally described space standards.
While this was a prior approval application, there were still key considerations that needed to be addressed. We worked to show that the development would not have a detrimental impact on the area, specifically in relation to transport, noise, and other factors.
This project on Clarence Street is a great example of sustainable development highlighting the potential for converting underutilised commercial spaces into much-needed homes.
MJD Planning Ltd worked closely with Luis and Josie of Edith Garland Architecture on this project.
If you have a similar property and are considering a change of use, please don't hesitate to reach out.
