Change of Use
At the February consultation event we explained we were preparing an application for a change of use, to convert the existing buildings on site from office to residential. This is called an application for ‘prior approval’ under new Class MA, and you can read about these types of application here.
We submitted an application to the council for prior approval to convert the existing office on the site to residential use earlier this year and this has now been approved. As we outlined at our first consultation in February, going through the prior approval process allows us to establish the principle of residential use on the site, helping to build the foundation for our ultimate goal of delivering a carefully planned, high-quality residential development that meets local needs.
Securing permission from the council for a change of use from office to residential under new Class MA rules has allowed us to establish the principle of residential use on the site, helping to build the foundation for delivering a high-quality residential redevelopment in the future. This justifies the change of use in our future planning application, without needing the Elmbridge Local Plan, which is now out of date, to be updated to reflect the proposed future use.
The change of use was the first step in preparing a comprehensive planning application for the site, which we are aiming to submit to the council later this year and we look forward to continuing to consult the community on the plans.
