A developer has revealed plans to convert a former retail space above a shop into flats. 

The first floor of a building known as Montague House at 23 Woodside Road in Amersham could be turned into three flats after a developer submitted a planning application to Buckinghamshire Council in June.

If the change of use application is approved, the first floor of the commercial building will be redeveloped into one three-bedroom and two two-bedroom self-contained flats, the plans show.

The first floor of the building has been vacant since October 2020, application by the developer Sorbon Estates said.

The application said: “The conversion is proposed without any parking for the residential flats. The building is located within a sustainable location. The building does not benefit from any parking at present due to its sustainable location. The sustainable location of the flats without any parking provision would not present any severe highway impacts in comparison to existing use on site.”

Bucks Free Press: The office space is located above the Amersham Owned charity shopThe office space is located above the Amersham Owned charity shop (Image: Amersham Owned)

A letter from the Highways Authority commenting on the plans confirmed the application was sustainable without a provision of parking bays, because the proposed development from commercial to residential would reduce the “level of vehicular trips to the site.”

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The Highways Authority had “no objections” to the application, the letter said.

Amersham Town Council discussed the plans during a meeting on July 17.

Town councillors “raised concerns over parking provision for the potential occupancy, which would need further clarification,” a letter said.

The ground floor of the building, which is not included in the plans, was the home of Laura Ashley interior shop before the Amersham Owned second-hand shop moved in last year.

Michael Gove recently told of the government's plans to boost the number of new homes, including a review to allow shops and takeaways being converted into homes without planning permission and focusing on brownfield sites. 

Montague House is located next door to Sorbon Estate's new proposed development St Michaels Court, which could see the building of 80 new apartments and retail space in a major revamp of the Woodside Road and Sycamore Road corner if approved.