LPC (Trull) Ltd have successfully won an appeal against the decision of South Gloucestershire Council to refuse Planning Permission for the conversion of vacant commercial accommodation to create 36 studio student flats (36 bedrooms), 1 four bedroom cluster flat (4 bedrooms) and 2 five bedroom cluster flats (10 bedrooms) (Sui Generis) at The Square, Cheswick Village, Stoke Gifford.
At the appeal, the main issues identified by the Planning Inspector were whether the development would provide acceptable living conditions for future occupants in relation to the provision of living and amenity space; and the effect of the development on the living conditions of occupants of flats above in relation to noise and disturbance.
The Inspector allowed the appeal and in granting Planning Permission concluded on the first issue that in the absence of any clear evidence to the contrary, there was no reason why the range of proposed room sizes should be considered inadequate.
Additionally, with regard to the living conditions of existing occupiers of flats above, the Inspector found that the proposed flats would occupy vacant space within which a wide range of potential uses has otherwise been approved. These span the former use classes A1-A5, D1 and D2, thus providing broad potential for uses which could generate significant levels of both movement and noise, including late into the evening. Therefore, the overall potential for disturbance of occupants of flats above would be far greater than the proposed student accommodation.