Former Costain HQ to become flats

The former headquarters a major engineering and construction company that recently moved out of Maidenhead is now being turned into 38 flats.

Costain was based in the town for decades. It was responsible for constructing the Nicholsons Walk development and took up a tenancy in the offices back in 1975.

The company relocated its headquarters in Maidenhead to Vanwall Business Park in early 2015, calling the new venue by the same name, Costain House.

But in March it announced it was moving its headquarters out of Maidenhead into London, keeping some employees working in a downsized office in town while others moved over to the new London site.

The former Costain site in Vanwall Business Park extends about 2.3 acres and comprises the office building (about 3,435sqm) with 173 parking spaces.

Now, the longstanding Costain House is getting turned into flats, once again under the ‘prior approval’ and ‘permitted development rights’ (PDR) process.

Prior approval/PDR involves a check-list process and eases the path for a developer to turn an existing building into flats.

As long as it makes only internal alterations and meets certain standards in accordance with national guidance, the local council has limited powers to turn these down.

There has been a glut of such applications in Maidenhead in the past year, amid ongoing concerns that this is causing the borough to lose vital employment space.

To tackle this, RBWM is planning to bring in ‘Article 4’ protections which allow it to place redevelopment and change of use restrictions on certain key sites.

It has 31 sites in mind, including Vanwall Business Park, and might be able to bring these protections in by the end of January 2025, provided the Government agrees.

In this case, RBWM’s desire to protect Vanwall’s office space is challenged by yet another flats plan.

Following the planning team’s approval last week (September 11), developer Legal & General Investment Management will be able to convert this three-storey office block into 38 flats.

There is set to be seven one-bed flats for two people; nine one-beds for two; 12 two-beds for three; seven two-beds for four people and three two-beds (WC), making 91 habitable rooms.

These are planned to range from about 39sqm minimum up to 90sqm minimum for the largest.

Also proposed are 53 parking spaces (three disabled) and 46 cycle parking spaces.

Costain House will join Mattel House as another office building in Vanwall Business Park given permission to be turned into flats under PDR rules.

See all information by entering reference 24/01824/CLAMA into RBWM’s planning portal.