Several proposals for converting empty commercial properties into residential buildings have been submitted in Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset. The plans include turning a former “small business of the year” into a house, as well as converting an old garage, old barn, and vacant shop. The trend of repurposing unused buildings for housing has become prominent in the recent planning applications.
The two neighboring unitary authorities, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset, receive numerous planning applications each week, with the conversion of disused buildings into residential spaces emerging as a recurring theme. Some of the most notable proposals have been selected for discussion.
All planning applications are available for public inspection on the respective council’s website. While most plans will be decided by council planning officers, the more significant or contentious ones will be brought before the councils’ planning committee.
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The former award-winning beauty salon, The Barn, located on the outskirts of Loxton village, is one such property that might undergo a transformation. The salon, which garnered several accolades such as “salon of the year” and “small business of the year”, closed in May due to the impact of Covid and rising operational costs. The owners have applied to North Somerset Council to convert the building into a two-bedroom bungalow. The proposed plans involve repurposing the existing treatment rooms into bedrooms, transforming the reception area into a kitchen, and integrating the tanning room and waiting area into an open-plan lounge and dining area.
In another proposal, the Central Garage in Whitchurch, Somerset, which has been vacant and in a state of disrepair since 2021, might be demolished to make way for two new homes. The application, submitted to Bath and North East Somerset Council by Creo Properties Ltd, outlines plans for two three-bedroom semi-detached homes with balconies facing the road.
Similarly, an application has been submitted to Bath and North East Somerset Council to renovate an open-sided steel barn situated between Chew Magna and North Wick into a spacious rural family home. The proposal aims to convert the barn into a four-bedroom dwelling while preserving the existing metal cladding as part of the architectural scheme.
Additionally, plans have been put forward to transform a vacant storefront in Weston-super-Mare into a one-bedroom apartment. The proposal involves converting the shop floor area into a bedroom, corridor, kitchen, and living area, with the staff kitchen area at the rear of the shop being repurposed as an additional “snug.”
You can view and comment on the plans using the following links:
- Loxton Beauty Salon: [Link]
- Central Garage in Whitchurch: [Link]
- Open-Sided Steel Barn: [Link]
- 13 Orchard Street: [Link]