Proposed Single Storey Above Second Floor – LB Westminster

It is common for clients to convert shops to restaurants, or to increase the operating hours of the existing shop. A Full Planning application is needed for this. 

The client for this project requested a change of use from A1 to A3. He had an Off License which he wanted to convert to a restaurant.

In addition, the client wanted to add another storey above the second floor to create three residential flats above the restaurant.

This property had potential, as you see from the photo below – it is low, and can be raised. Most commecial property if this nature will have three storeys above the shop.

Currently two units exist. The design of the new floor would be mansard as below:

The Layout of the shop would change, mainly to include a cooking area and serving area with a till. At present a till and counter exists to serve the Off License customers.

In addition, a toilet had to be included to serve the restaurant clients. Normally there are no toilets in an Off License for clients.

The flat above the second floor would be exactly the same as the other two floors. Same size and same floor layout. This simplified the design, and the staircase could therefore easily be accomodated.

The final planning concern was the disposal of waste. This would be carried out by private contractors.

Local Authorities Outsource Planning

The London Borough of Harrow and several others are outsourcing their planning information. I discovered this by accident. I had a client in Harrow and needed to look up a previous planning application. So naturally I went to Harrow Council’s web page www.harrow.gov.uk > environment and planning > planning > planning applications – residential > viewing, applying and commenting online

What I then discovered was that since November 2005 all applications are now stored on www.UKplanning.com (for LB Harrow and a few other boroughs only). Earlier applications between 1945 and November 2005 have to be seen in person at the planning reception desk at Harrow Civic Centre.

This was the information I found:

On UKPlanning:

View plans and comment on current planning applications
View documents relating to determined applications since November 2005

On Harrow website:

(YOU CAN ONLY VIEW A LIST of determined applications AND NOT PLANS, NOTICES AND EVERYTHING ELSE)

View a monthly list of determined applications
View a list of new applications received in the last 7 – 28 days and submit comments

Viewing Planning Applications via UKPlanning:

(HERE YOU CAN VIEW THE WHOLE APPLICATION INCLUDING PLANS)

 

The Harrow Council website then attemps to explain how the UKPlanning website works:

Go to UKPlanning
Select Harrow Council
Click ‘Search Applications’ – search by street name or reference number
To make a comment on a current application, click on ‘Comment on Application’

UK Planning – A Useful Tool?

www.UKplanning.com is a new planning portal for cheching planning applications online. It is slightly limited, as only a few local authorities are online. The London Boroughs are:

 

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Harrow
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Westminster

In time I expect more boroughs will join. I recently did the Building Regulations for a client in Harrow and referred to this site. I often have to check what plans have been approved before I can take it to the next stage, Building Approval.

The Site included all the decision notices and plans I needed and it specified the size of the dormer which had been approved and permitted.

With my clients who have not got planning consent yet, I design the dormer to be in keeping with similar projects, and once this is approved, the builder or the Engineer can then refer to these plans to do the building regulations.

I actually do both – the planning consent, and then the Building Regulations once planning is granted.

PLANNING SERVICES UK

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Do you need Building plans, Extensions, Planning Permission, Property improvements, development for re-sale ?

Please call for instant plans, and a visual representation of your project.

I specialise in computer aided design and can quickly produce your plans.

I also keep within the limits of planning consent and keep to budget.

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Tony Clayton _{MEng (Civil Eng) (Hons), ACGI}

Tony aged 32, Civil Engineering graduate from Imperial College with Masters. He is an Associate of the City and Guilds Institute. Since he graduated, Tony has worked for 6 years on major projects.