Shropshire: Oswestry retail unit to be converted into flat

An application for whether prior approval was required for converting the retail unit into a one-bedroom dwelling that would measure 45 square metre was submitted in August this year.

The applicant for the proposal is hoping to form a living/kitchen area for the dwelling has a large shop window to the front elevation, and a smaller window to the side elevation.

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The shower room and the rear bedroom each have a window to the side elevation, and while there is no designated parking, there is unrestricted on-street parking for overnight access to the property at 1 Lower Brook Street.

The application included that "there will be no negative impact on the character of the conservation area".

He added: “The exterior of the building will be repaired, painted, and generally tidied up.

“It will be used rather than long-term vacant and this will have a positive impact on the appearance of the conservation area.”

Shropshire Council planning officer Janet Davies said that prior approval was not required.

She said: “The application site is a small, two storey building faced in painted render which sits gable end at the back of the pavement.

“The front gable elevation includes a small shopfront with separate, glazed entrance door to left. Above that is a three-light window.

“The east side elevation includes a number of openings to its rear half including a side door and a number of windows.

“There are no openings within the west elevation. The building is currently vacant at ground floor but was most recently used as a barber’s shop.

“At first floor is an existing flat. At ground floor it is proposed to create a living/kitchen room at the front of the property and to the rear of that a bedroom with en-suite.”

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She added that prior approval was not needed because, measured against parameters set out in development rules, the application would comply.

Included within the reasoning is because the building has been vacant for at least three months prior to the application and at 45 square metres, is small enough to not need planning permission.

Ms Davies added that the building would not face any noise pollution issues and that there would not be any conservation areas as no external changes will be undertaken.