Bourne End physiotherapy centre to become flats

Buckinghamshire council has agreed for a kitchen showroom and physiotherapy/personal training centre in Bourne End town centre to be converted into flats.

Wyebridge House in Cores End is a two-storey building with an architectural style suggesting it was built with the intention of being a detached home.

The site contains a detached single-storey outbuilding and an elongated single-storey building running parallel.

It is technically classed as offices. The main building is a kitchen firm and showroom, Redline Interiors, and the other buildings are currently home to a physiotherapy and personal training centre among other business uses.

The application proposes the conversion of these offices and use the roof extension to create five flats. This includes a duplex with a terraced area, as well as four one-beds.

The parking area will be kept the same and will provide eight spaces at the front. It is also providing 14 cycle spaces.

The application was not without its controversies; the Environmental Health department of Bucks council had concerns about noise, as did the Highways team.

The latter thought there would be a widening of the car access at the front and changes to the kerb.

There were worries this would cut manoeuvring space and cause dangerous reversing, on the busy Cores End Road.

There were also concerns the kerb changes would make the distinction between footways and highway less clear, endangering the visually impaired.

However, amended plans assuaged these concerns, as they showed no alteration to the vehicle access.

Natural England also noted the plan was 'likely to have a significant effect on a European Protected Site' (for biodiversity) – yet it added it had no objection as long as measures were taken to mitigate this.

Planning officers noted that the site lies in the 5.6km zone of influence for Burnham Beeches Special Area of Conservation, and as such, the applicant would need to make a financial contribution to mitigate the adverse ecological impacts.

Another important aspect is the so-called ‘titled balance.’

Bucks Council has a 2.5-year supply of housing land for 2021-2026, declining to 1.81-years’ supply from 2022-2027. This is not enough.

It has an obligation to meet council targets – and if it does not, there is a tilted balance in favour of any developer offering housing.

The Government’s planning inspectorate will take this under significant consideration, should a developer appeal against the council for an application refusal.

Having received the proposals almost a year ago in September 2023, the council approved the plans last Wednesday (July 31) with a list of 13 of conditions.

These included the installation of a bat box and an electric vehicle charging point, as well as requirements to lay out plans for parking and manoeuvring, as well as noise protection.

The applicant has also agreed to section 106 contributions, payments made to the council by developers of new homes, for which the money will be used on supporting local infrastructure.

See all plans with reference 23/07301/FUL in Bucks council’s Wycombe planning portal: publicaccess.wycombe.gov.uk