Agenda item

To consider an application for the conversion of offices to 5no. dwellings - flats

That planning application 2023/1879/FUL be APPROVED in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

Votes – Unanimous

Conversion from office to 5.no dwellings

The Officer’s Report stated that the application had been referred to the Planning Committee as the recommendation for approval did not accord with the recommendation of Frome Town Council.

The application related to a Grade II Listed Building situated within the Frome conservation area and development limits. The site was located within an Area of High Archaeological Potential, a Bat consultation zone and town centre boundary. The application sought full planning permission to convert the building from offices to 5 flats and the premises are currently vacant.

The Report continued that the scheme had been amended to take into consideration the Conservation Officer’s comments regarding the excessive number of new openings within the roof. Amended plans now clearly show that the proposed dormers would be of the same size and the number of rooflights within the rear roof slope have been reduced to 3 as instructed. Additional details have also been provided with respect to the dormer design detail and mechanical ventilation.

The Town Parish Council had objected to the proposal in its current form, saying that while they were aware of the current need for flats close to the town centre they felt that this proposal did not adequately meet that need.

The Officer’s Report concluded that following a careful assessment it was considered that the benefits of the scheme would outweigh the relatively limited harm with respect to the loss of employment floorspace in the area.  The assessment concluded that the proposal raised no adverse design, amenity nor highway safety issues and would secure the listed building’s long-term viability. The development was therefore recommended for approval.

The Planning Officer explained the application to the Committee with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation.

The only speaker was the applicant. He made the following points:

• Town centres are changing and there is less demand for office space.
• The Conservation Officer had welcomed the change of use as it would secure the building’s long-term viability.
• The proposed flats will be spacious 1 and 2 bed dwellings above the required size.
• The refuse and bicycles will be stored inside the building and although there will be steps to negotiate to put the bins out, the proposal is a betterment to the existing situation.
• It will be a car free and sustainable development with acoustic dampening measures put in place.

In the discussion which followed Members raised concerns about the proposed arrangements for the storage of refuse bins and the potential for noise disturbance for residents of the flats. They noted that Frome Town Centre was a vibrant place with many pubs and restaurants nearby and would not want these businesses to be the subject of noise complaints in the future. They also recognised that although the refuse storage area would be a combined space for cycle storage shared with bicycles, not everyone would have a bicycle and everyone is being encouraged to reduce waste. It was important to keep the building viable and people who move into a town centre must expect a certain amount of noise. The building was never meant to be offices but were built as homes originally for their owners to care for.

In response to questions raised by Members, the Planning Officer confirmed the following:

• The Environmental Protection Officer did not object to the application and if people choose to live in a town centre, they must accept there will be some noise.
• The applicant’s agent confirmed that the proposal met all the building regulations for fire safety but this was not a planning consideration for the Committee.
• The conditions state that the bins must be stored inside the building except on collection day.
• The principal of development states there a cumulative advantages to making this accommodation rather than office space. The building has come to the end of its useful life as an office. Many people work from home and the listed building will be preserved.

It was proposed by Councillor Dawn Denton and seconded by Councillor Adam Boyden to approve the application in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

On being put to the vote the proposal was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED

That planning application 2023/1879/FUL be APPROVED in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

Votes – Unanimous