Harwood Savin was instructed by a client to advise on a number of matters relating to a very prominent Grade II listed building on a main shopping area in this popular seaside town. The lower ground floor comprised a retail unit, somewhat secondary in nature due to its unusual frontage, despite being in the defined primary shopping frontage. Our client wished to convert the lower ground floor to residential, akin to the upper floors, but contrary to presiding policy.
We worked closely with the Council’s conservation officer to develop a detailed heritage justification to over-ride the retail policy position, arguing that the lower ground floor was once linked to the upper floors, and investigations within the building revealed the position of a staircase to this effect. We also engaged closely with the very influential and well informed town and district Councillors in advance of the consideration of the application by the Town Council and District Council, to secure favourable decisions.