Council blocks plans to convert town centre offices into block of 30 flats

Plans to convert an office block near Maidenhead Town Hall into 30 flats have been blocked by the council.

Real estate firm Everhome Capital wants to turn Chatsworth House, on the corner of Broadway and Park Street, into a mix of studio and two-bedroom homes.

The plans would see the ground floor of the building retained for office use while the upper floors would be converted into apartments.

Everhome Capital attempted to use the prior approvals process which allows developers to turn offices into flats, without submitting a full planning application, as long as they meet a nationally set checklist of requirements.

But council planning officers said the plans for Chatsworth House failed to meet this checklist – with several properties falling below national space standards.

A total of six out of the 30 flats proposed fell below the minimum required space standards, the council’s planning department said.

It added that an internal daylight assessment report submitted by the developer failed to demonstrate there would be adequate natural light provided in each room.

The application included plans for 33 cycle parking spaces but the planning department said these would need to be provided in a new storage area.

If new buildings are required, this requires planning permission and falls outside the scope of the prior approvals process.

The planning department also said the applicant had failed to provide details on the car parking proposed for the site.

Visit www.rbwm.gov.uk and search 24/03026/CLAMA for full details of the council’s decision.