AN APPLICATION seeking permission to convert a prominent vacant office building in the town into apartments has been decided on.

Previous proposals to turn the former HMRC office on College Street into 66 residential apartments had been approved by the council back in 2019.

However, the permission for this expired as the project was hit by delays and the building has remained empty since the former Tax Credits office at the Crown Buildings was closed in August 2018.

A new application was drawn up seeking prior approval for a change of use of the building to a slightly reduced number of 63 apartments.

A letter by Russell Forde, of planning agents Smart Planning, in the application stated that the original works were not carried out within the three-year time period “owing to multiple factors”.

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These included “the time spent collating submissions for the conditions discharge applications, a change in ownership of the site, a change in the professional team, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors.

“Given the foregoing, it was practically impossible to proceed with the conversion works in the specified time period and the prior approval resultantly lapsed, leaving the site incomplete, effectively still an office building and with no way to lawfully proceed with the conversion”.

Meanwhile, a full planning application was also submitted in 2020 relating to external alterations and “these works are largely complete”.

The letter added: “The number of units has been reduced to 63 and many of these have been downgraded to one bedroom, one person units in order to satisfy the nationally described space standard (NDSS)”, adding “the original scheme was moderately substandard in this regard”.

Plans added: “The current proposal offers a vast improvement as all proposed residential units now provide sufficient gross internal areas, in line with the NDSS requirements”.

The proposals were submitted by applicants H J Collection 2.

Council planners ruled that prior approval was required and was granted for the development. 

In a report, planning officer Stephen Gill concluded: "It is considered that further information was required in relation to Transport and Noise, which the applicant submitted with the application.

"On that basis, it is considered that prior approval is required and is granted based on the information submitted".