Plan to convert Eastbourne office building into 20 apartments

In an application submitted to Eastbourne Borough Council, plans have been put forward to convert Ansvar House, an office building at 31 St Leonards Road, into 20 self-contained apartments.

Until February this year, the building had been used as offices by Ansvar, a specialised insurance firm for charities and churches. Now vacant, a developer wants to convert the building using permitted development rights (known as a Class MA conversion).

While the use of permitted development rights means the developer does not need to secure planning permission, it will need ‘prior approval’ from the council before beginning the works.

To qualify to use these permitted development rights, the conversion must be for a residential-only development and must only involve internal changes to the building (as any external changes would require a full planning application). The developer argues this is the case for their proposals.

In a statement submitted as part of the application, a spokesman for the developer said: “It is the applicant’s conclusion that the proposed scheme complies with all relevant requirements of Class MA conversion, and hereby requests that the local planning authority provide the approvals without delay.”

If the conversion goes ahead, the building would be split into 20 apartments, made up of 16 two-bedroom units and four one-bedroom units. In all, twenty of the building’s existing off-road parking spaces would be retained after the conversion, as would its bin and cycle storage areas.

Existing disabled access ramps in front and rear of the building will be retained, as would an internal lift.

For further information on the proposals see application reference 240169 on the Eastbourne Borough Council website.