Plans to convert London Road North, Lowestoft, building’s basement store and ground floor office to self-contained flat approved

Plans to convert the basement store and ground floor office of a town centre building to a flat have been approved.

East Suffolk Council has given the green light to the application for the building in London Road North, Lowestoft.

A delegated report said the ground floor units form part of shopping frontages but there is no frontage to the basement unit, thus its loss to residential should not harm the ‘vitality and viability of the town centre’.7

Further to this the external alterations proposed for the self-contained flat would not be seen from the public realm, so it is not believed there would be any ‘adverse impacts’ on the character and appearance of the area.

Most rooms in the property would have openings that provide natural light, and thus while the development would be compact officers said there would be sufficient space for occupants.

It is considered the development provides adequate amenity value for future residents, the report said.

Developers have three years to begin the project.