Project Summary
- Grade II listed, end of terrace Georgian property, in commerical and residential neighbourhood and Conservation Area
- Conversion of basement and ground floors to independent vegan cafe and takeaway, with adjacent pavement seating
- Replacement of secondary shopping frontage with retail-related uses
- Heritage, operational and nighttime economy considerations
The Planning Process
The proposals involved the repurposing of the vacant lower floors of the listed building as a cafe and takeaway, punching new openings through the end wall to extend customer seating onto an expansive, but unloved, corner pavement area. The property was located in secondary shopping frontage where retail uses are a priority, but also within a designated city centre regeneration area where there is particular policy support for smaller scale/independent retail-related and leisure uses. We successfully argued that the benefits of the replacement cafe – vibrant shopfront, good footfall, public realm improvements to the corner – outweighed the loss of the shop unit in this instance.
In collaboration with O:AD Studio architects, ION Acoustics noise consultants and commercial extraction experts BW Fabrications, our submission was supported by an acoustic assessment and servicing and management strategies to demonstrate to the Council and local Police that the venue would be robustly controlled in terms of late night disturbance, pavement security, refuse and delivery arrangements. A Heritage statement and full details of the building fabric amendments and ventilation equipment also satisfied them that the conversion and fit-out works would involve less than significant harm to the heritage assets, and would adequately protect the amenity of the neighbouring residents above.