New HMO bid with retail retained in Lowestoft town centre

A scheme has been lodged that could see a new seven-bedroom house of multiple occupation (HMO) created with retail use retained at a three-storey corner building in Lowestoft town centre.

Plans have been submitted to East Suffolk Council for the site on London Road North that includes the vacant former O2 shop.

Plans have been submitted to East Suffolk Council for the Change of use to HMO, retaining front existing ground floor for commercial use at the former O2 shop on 113 London Road North in Lowestoft. Picture: Blue Alpine Planning Ltd (Image: Blue Alpine Planning Ltd)

A scheme centring around: "Change of use to HMO retaining front existing ground floor for commercial use" for the property at 113 London Road North Lowestoft is "awaiting decision" with the council.

Plans lodged by agents Blue Alpine Planning Ltd for applicant Mr Johan Chopra have been proposed for the three-storey corner building that comprises a ground floor shop with accommodation on the first and second floors.

The vacant property, which is understood to have been built in 1950, featured a gents outfitters shop in the 1960s.

The application says the site area measures 194sq m.

As the current use of the site is listed as commercial, the currently vacant property - whose last use was commercial - could see seven bedrooms created as part of the change of use plans with the HMO bid.

It states: "Change of use to form HMO to rear of the ground floor, first and second floor, retaining front commercial use."

With this "commercial footprint retained," the proposed plans show that the total commercial retained for the vacant property would measure 78sq m, which is equivalent to 840sq ft on the ground floor.

A decision is likely to be made by East Suffolk Council in the coming weeks.