| Client | Catalyst Capital |
|---|---|
| Turley office | London |
| Status | Planning permission granted |
| LPA | South Oxfordshire District Council |
Re-purposing Henley Town Centre
Our role
- We provided long-standing planning advice throughout the full construction stage of Gardiner Place, a recently completed retail development in the historic town centre of Henley-on-Thames.
- The development was originally built as 10 ground and first floor retail (Use Class A1) and restaurant units (use Class A3) of varying sizes, with 14 residential homes at first floor. We previously gained permission to change the first floor of the restaurant unit to two new residential homes.
- Our most recent application concerned three ground floor units, two of which were Use Class A1 (retail), and the other Use Class A3 (restaurant).
- We were successful in establishing to South Oxfordshire District Council that the units were “substantially complete” and thus in use before 1 September 2020, meaning that they transferred to Use Class E on that date.
- We also demonstrated that the amalgamation of the units would positively contribute to the vitality and viability of the town centre, in that it would be more attractive to prospective tenants.
Results
- Planning permission was granted for two new Use Class E commercial units.
- Majestic Wine will open a new flagship store out of one of these units, the first new Majestic Wine to open in five years.
- This permission reflects the current dynamics of the retailing market and the need to secure flexible planning permissions that can evolve over time.