Plans for 121 flats
A PROPOSAL for 121 new apartments at a prominent building, in the centre of Loughborough, has been sent into Charnwood Borough Council.
The plans are for a change of use from offices, to residential for Pennine House, Lemyngton Street.
After a relaxing of Government permitted development planning restrictions, which has been made in a bid to encourage developers to invest in more housing development, a full planning application for change of use, for this type of building, is no longer needed.
Regardless of the number of apartments, or who the tenants may be, such as students, Charnwood Borough Council can only object if it fears that the development will cause noise, transport, contamination or flooding issues.
The applicant, Study Inn Investments, has already started work on the site and are advertising the apartments on the internet.
A planning statement, sent to the borough council and com- piled by Cerda Planning Ltd, on behalf of Study Inn Investments, outlines the proposal.
It states that the plan is to convert the four-storey office building into 121 dwellings saying: “The underground car park is to be used for residents and visitors.”
The statement adds: “Permitted development rights allow changes of use from offices B1 (a) to dwellings (C3) to provide new residential units in existing buildings.
“In accordance with the Government’s objectives in respect of boosting housing supply, the current proposal is to create dwellings within the existing envelope of the building.”
A Charnwood Borough Council spokesperson told the Echo:: “The property is the subject of a prior notification application. This allows a change of use to the property if the applicant gives the Local Planning Authority 56 days notice to consider the impact of the new use against limited specified criteria.
“If this change of use is accepted, any external alterations or extensions would require planning permission.
“The developer has started to strip out the vacant building and is aware of the strict rules which apply to these types of application.
“The council will continue to monitor the site to ensure that there are no unauthorised works.”