More office space to be lost – St Georges House, Bromley Road

A planning apicatiin has been lodged with the Council for Second Floor, St Georges House, 2 Bromley Road near NatWest to change from office space to 3 x one bedroom flats. 

The Government introduced a 3-year permitted development right in Spring 2013 that allows landlords to make conversions from office to residential without permission. Councils may only refuse in respect of transport and highways, contamination and flooding risks.  The policy was designed to allow empty office space to be turned into homes to boost the creation of new homes. Unfortunately it is mainly being used in locations that deliver the highest returns on investment for landlords, despite the high demand for office space. So in town centres like Beckenham where housing prices/rents are soaring ahead of office space, local businesses are being pushed out.