Change of use from retail unit to estate agents office (Conservation area)

Why Was This Approved?

• ✓Estate agency use already established elsewhere in the Conservation Area
• ✓No physical alterations to the building proposed
• ✓Signage changes explicitly excluded from the permission
• ✓Application facilitated relocation of an existing local business
• ✓heritage

The application concerned a shop on the eastern side of Malew Street, between Bank Street and The Parade, within a Conservation Area. The proposal was to convert the existing retail unit into an estate agent's office, specifically to allow Ashbrooks estate agents to relocate. The officer noted that estate agency uses were already present within the Conservation Area — Dean Wood at 6 Castle Street and Ashbrooks at 8 Arbory Street — making this type of use established and not out of character for the area. The approval did not extend to any changes to or installation of new signage.

The change of use was considered acceptable because estate agents already operated within the same Conservation Area, demonstrating that this type of use was compatible with the character of the area. No physical alterations to the building were proposed, and any signage changes were explicitly excluded from the permission.

Conditions (2)

1. 1

   Condition 1

   The use must be taken up within four years of the date of this notice in order for this approval to remain valid after that time.

2. 2

   Condition 2

   This permission relates to the use of the premises shown in the plans received on 28th June, 2005 as an estate agency.

Documents (10)