Comments on Application 18/02337 - Moorbridge Court, Moorbridge Road

Change of use from offices to residential ( 3 x 2-bed flats, 21x 1-bed flats and 17 studios )

We have no problem with the planning principle of converting superfluous office space to residential use. However, we object to the practise of permitting such conversions to include undersized, substandard living spaces. This application is the worst example to date. The vast majority of the 21 one bedroom/two person flats are below the Nationally Described Space Standard of 50 square metres. Flat B3 is only 36 square metres in size, but the worst example is Flat C7 which is an exceptional 30 square metres - only 60% of the required space for acceptable living. The smallest two bedroom/four person flat is 67 square metres against a minimum of 70 square metres.

This development includes 17 studios which do not have a Nationally Described Space Standard. Unsurprisingly, these are an opportunity for the developer to maximise the number of units with the smallest example being only 25 square metres.

The RBWM should not permit such an application which is clearly detrimental to the quality of housing stock by introducing undersized, substandard dwellings.

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