The situation
A disused office and light industrial unit in the centre of Caterham had real potential for residential conversion, but a previous planning application to convert it into three flats had already been rejected by Tandridge District Council. The council’s concerns centred on design, amenity, parking standards, and a lack of evidence that the building could no longer be used commercially.
The approach
Rather than resubmit a similar application, Batcheller Monkhouse’s planning team, working alongside Mike Bliss Architecture, recommended a different route: Class MA, a permitted development right introduced in August 2021 that allows certain commercial premises to change to residential use without needing full planning permission. This approach sidestepped the exact issues that had sunk the earlier application, since Class MA doesn’t require proof of commercial unviability, only that the building has been vacant for three months. It meant the same number of units could be delivered, without the twelve-month marketing exercise the council would otherwise have required.
The outcome
Prior Approval for the scheme was granted in April 2022, delivering two one-bedroom flats and a two-bedroom apartment in the former workshop space, bringing a disused building back into productive use in the centre of Caterham.
Talk to Us
Every project starts with a conversation. Whatever stage you’re at, whether you’re weighing up an idea or ready to submit an application, our planning team can give you a clear, honest view of what’s achievable.