Living in commercial property
Discussion
Chaps, christ knows what section this should be under, but it's in here for now (sorry Mods)
Did I imagine some legislation being discussed recently allowing people to live in retail property? Is this wishful thinking or has someone got information to back it up?
If that is indeed fantasy, has anyone experience of changing partial A1 classification to residential? The place in mind is mixed use and most is residential already.
I'm well aware that many folk, especially you painfully fashionably lot in London, rent warehouses etc to live in and generally a blind eye is turned, but I'm looking at a freehold property and the building use makes a big different to mortgages available.
Cheers
Did I imagine some legislation being discussed recently allowing people to live in retail property? Is this wishful thinking or has someone got information to back it up?
If that is indeed fantasy, has anyone experience of changing partial A1 classification to residential? The place in mind is mixed use and most is residential already.
I'm well aware that many folk, especially you painfully fashionably lot in London, rent warehouses etc to live in and generally a blind eye is turned, but I'm looking at a freehold property and the building use makes a big different to mortgages available.
Cheers
I'll be watching this thread.
Would you wish to live in the entire property?
I think you can also go for partial change of use, if you wish to keep some area as business.
That way, you'd be hit for non-domestic rates on the business part and domestic rates in the living area.
Or that used to be the case, it may well have changed now.
I think you can also go for partial change of use, if you wish to keep some area as business.
That way, you'd be hit for non-domestic rates on the business part and domestic rates in the living area.
Or that used to be the case, it may well have changed now.
Might not be relevant to your particular scenario but there was a "Grand Designs" program on a week or so ago (it might be the new series or a repeat on a satellite channel) that mentioned this subject.
A couple had been given a listed barn by one of their parents which they then converted into a mix use premises. There was an artist studio for her, a large workshop for him to create his commercial sized pieces and a living area with 2 or 3 beds etc for them and their kid. It was mentioned in the program that becasue the building had been split along the lines of xx% business use and yy%residential use it met all requirements of the local planning office. They also had to obtain a mortgage towards the end of the build as they had gone over their budget so suggests money is available for this sort of mixed use from regular lenders.
Might be worth a Google search on the program to see if the web site has any specific details on mixed use premises.
A couple had been given a listed barn by one of their parents which they then converted into a mix use premises. There was an artist studio for her, a large workshop for him to create his commercial sized pieces and a living area with 2 or 3 beds etc for them and their kid. It was mentioned in the program that becasue the building had been split along the lines of xx% business use and yy%residential use it met all requirements of the local planning office. They also had to obtain a mortgage towards the end of the build as they had gone over their budget so suggests money is available for this sort of mixed use from regular lenders.
Might be worth a Google search on the program to see if the web site has any specific details on mixed use premises.
Do love Grand Designs so there is two birds with one stone!
The property is currently mixed use, approx 2/3 residential and 1/3 A1. I'd be looking to make the whole thing residential ideally. I know there are mortgages available for mixed use, but the rates are on the steep side and you often need bloody hefty deposit
The property is currently mixed use, approx 2/3 residential and 1/3 A1. I'd be looking to make the whole thing residential ideally. I know there are mortgages available for mixed use, but the rates are on the steep side and you often need bloody hefty deposit
andye30m3 said:
I recently seen articles about the government considering relaxing planning policies to make it easier to convert disused offices into residential accommodation I think it's still being thought about rather than actioned
Thanks Andy, this must have been what I heard being debated on the News one morning. Lets hops it becomes a reality. There are a vast quantity of empty shops in my area, many of which are no longer near the predominant retail area. What are the council doing to tackle this? Building a complete new shopping complex on an old cattle market! Clever, huh?! Davel said:
Well if disused, I'm pretty sure that it will be classed as 'brownfield land' and so probably favoured for conversion or re-development.
you'd think so but not always, I'm looking at converting a commercial property which has been empty for around 8 years to residential use. It's been turned down twice a few years ago and the council are still not giving off positive signals now despite more competition to the shops original use and that the business has been for sale the whole time without real interest. Their reason is that they don't want to loose a community facility (cafe) despite the community not supporting it, no one wanting to invest in it and a similar new business just down the road going bust within months. I think we'll get something through planning but it will not be easy
Edited by andye30m3 on Tuesday 11th October 19:53
It sounds like you will stand a reasonable chance. The time it has stood vacant and all the other points you listed are relevant.
Whilst I dont think the government will bring in changes allowing coversion from commercial to offices without permission the point is that the govenrment is clear- we need development and should be making best use of the existing resources.
good luck!
Whilst I dont think the government will bring in changes allowing coversion from commercial to offices without permission the point is that the govenrment is clear- we need development and should be making best use of the existing resources.
good luck!
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